PHOTOS: Boom Goes the Algonquin Roadhouse

Copenhaver Construction has been working to demolish six buildings alongside Algonquin Road to make room for the incoming Western Bypass. Demolition work is scheduled to last through July.

Buildings being torn down include the Algonquin Roadhouse, Burnex Corp., Parkside Auto and other farm buildings.

The next phase of the project includes a bid for a grading project, which was originally scheduled to be awarded in March has been pushed back to an unknown future date.

The Western Bypass in its final form will run along the west side of the current Illinois Route 31 from Rakow Road, will cut through Towne Park, and come back to 31 at Huntington Drive. It will include the reconstruction and widening of portions of Illinois Route 31.

Construction on the $70 million project that was conceived of 15 years ago will finally begin once the demolition work is complete. The public shouldn’t expect to see curb and gutter and other kinds of roadway progress until 2012, officials said.