A $3.2 million construction project along Lincoln Highway, or Rt. 38, will make it easier for students coming back to NIU in January.

Work began in April on Rt. 38 west from Annie Glidden Road to just beyond the DeKalb city limits. The project includes rerouting water mains, laying electrical conduits and moving sidewalks: all in preparation for widening Rt. 38 to five lanes.

The entire project is being handled by a private contractor, the Rockford Blacktop Construction Company. Although the project started six weeks late, Jim Kroeplin of Rockford Blacktop and Duke Taylor of the State Department of Transportation said, barring any unforeseen delays, the work will be completed as scheduled, Dec. 1, 1990.

Taylor, Department of Transportation resident technician, oversees the work for the state. Taylor said traffic in the area has increased over the years and a two-lane roadway is no longer capable of handling the flow.

The project was originally bid at more than $3.2 million, most of which is coming from the state, Taylor said.

alph Tompkins, DeKalb Public Works assistant director, said that about $480,000 of the total bill will be paid for by the city. That money will cover the work on the water mains, electrical conduits and part of the sidewalk replacement.

Upon completion, Rt. 38 will be increased to five lanes with four normal traffic lanes and one center turning lane. The five-lane roadway will taper down to two lanes just beyond the city limits.

Further improvements on Rt. 38 as far west as Rochelle were proposed, said Daryl Stienstra, state bureau chief of construction. The proposal also includes improvements on the portion of Rt. 38 east from Rt. 23 to Peace Road, Stienstra said.

The new proposal must be approved by the state and is slated to begin sometime between 1991-1995, Stienstra said.