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Politics & Government

Wet Weather Could Dampen Rakow Road Progress

If rain continues, construction on the busy thoroughfare may have to be delayed.

Rainy weather hasn’t delayed the $27 million Rakow Road project--not yet, anyway, said a spokesman for the McHenry County Division of Transportation

More wet weather could cause delays in the future, said Terry Heffron, spokesman for the project. County officials hope to complete construction late next year.

“We’re not officially behind schedule yet,” Heffron said. “We’ll start falling behind if the rain keeps up. More rain will delay top-soil removal and delay temporary paving projects we have scheduled.”

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McHenry County workers are “fine-tuning” temporary traffic signals on Rakow when intersections start to get congested, Heffron said. Some intersections will allow left turns only on a green arrow because of difficulty for motorists to see oncoming traffic during construction.

Activating temporary traffic signals at the two easternmost intersections on Rakow Road -- at Pingree Road and Illinois Route 31 -- is expected to occur next week, he said.

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County officials attended a soggy ground-breaking ceremony Wednesday morning at McHenry Avenue and Rakow Road, said Adam Lehmann, the county’s public information officer.

In attendance were McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan).

The two-year construction project includes straightening and widening Rakow to six lanes between Ackman Road and Pyott Road; and four lanes between Pyott Road and Highway 31. All intersections on Rakow Road will also be widened.

For more information on the Rakow Road construction project, visit the www.rakowroad.com

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