Next phase of Bensenville CREATE Rail Flyover Project Begins

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that temporary weekend road closures will occur along Illinois 19 (Irving Park Road) between York Road and South Access Road, weather permitting, on March 21-23, 2015. The roadway will reopen with reduced lanes and a restricted vertical clearance at the bridge. This is the next phase in construction of the railroad flyover structure that will carry the Canadian Pacific Railway over IL 19 and eliminate an at-grade crossing in Bensenville. Traffic will be affected in the following manner:

  • Eastbound and westbound IL 19 will be closed to all traffic beginning at 3 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. The roadway will be reopened to automobile and small trucks (under 12.0′ in height) before 5 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2015, at which time the truck detour route will be fully implemented until further notice.  IL 19 will have one lane open in each direction upon reopening.
  • A detour will be posted during these closures.
  • A truck detour will be posted during the period of restricted (low) vertical clearance under the railroad bridge east of York Rd.
  • South Access Road will remain open to O’Hare Airport cargo deliveries during the detour, and accessible via the detour route.
  • The weekend of March 28 – 30 will be used in the event of poor weather or if additional time is required to complete the work.

The following posted detour routes will be in effect for all full roadway closures and for trucks starting March 21:

  • Eastbound IL 19 traffic will turn north on to York Rd./Elmhurst Rd.,  east on IL Rte 72 (Touhy Avenue), east on to IL72 (Higgins Rd), south on US Rte. 12/45/Mannheim Rd.
  • Westbound IL 19 traffic will turn north on to US Route 12/45/Mannheim Rd., west on IL72/Higgins Rd., west on IL 72/Touhy Ave, south on Elmhurst Rd./York Rd.

The truck detour and lane closures on IL 19 are expected to be in place up to 4 months to allow for construction of temporary pavement at a lower grade. Upon completion of the work a 14′ – 6″ clearance will allow all legal sized trucks to resume using IL 19. During this time, Canadian Pacific Railway will complete work on new track and signals that will allow all trains to operate on the new structure, eliminating traffic delays caused by trains crossing IL 19 at grade.

The entire railroad flyover project, which kicked off in February 2013, also includes the reconstruction of the intersection of Irving Park Road and York Road, which respectively carry 37,000 vehicles and 28,000 vehicles each day. An average of 25 freight trains pass through the crossing each day, delaying 6,400 vehicles and costing motorists 1,500 daily hours of delays that will be eliminated as a result of this project. The project is in conjunction with the Village of Bensenville, DuPage County, the City of Chicago’s O’Hare Modernization Program, the Canadian Pacific Railroad and Metra.

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.

For more information on this project please visit the project’s website:  Illinois 19 (Irving Park Road) at York Road.

Find details on other construction projects in IDOT’s District 1 at http://goo.gl/upgvZu. Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at www.travelmidwest.com.

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