Bids for improvements to Peace Road — shoulder reshaping, pothole filling and divider repainting — will be made in June.
The improvements will be made between Pleasant Street and Bethany Road in DeKalb and Cortland Townships. The DeKalb County Board entered into an agreement with the state on April 16 for the resurfacing of Peace Road to make the street more efficient.
“It needs to be maintained because it acts as a main artery for the DeKalb County. Peace Road starts south of the Illinois tollway and goes north over 64,” said Robert Brown, DeKalb County Board member. “DeKalb is on a five-year plan to maintain all highways and bridges, making sure they are clear of obstructions.”
DeKalb County engineer Nathan Schwartz, one of the leading engineers behind Peace Road’s resurfacing, said the estimated cost of the project is $1.5 million with the local share to be estimated at $296,000. Schwartz said the exact cost will be determined by June.
“After the contracts are signed and approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation, we expect construction to begin during the fall,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz said bids for the project will be taken in June at IDOT’s main office in Springfield. Construction will be done by the approved contractor, and inspection work will be performed by the DeKalb County Highway Department, Schwartz said.
Julia Fauci, DeKalb County Board member, said Peace Road is vital and has a special purpose.
“It was originally made as a bypass road to allow farmers with heavy equipment to get around DeKalb and Sycamore,” Fauci said. “It’s absolutely a vital road. [It] isn’t really designed for commercial purpose, but, just like all roads, a large volume of traffic can affect the quality.”
Schwartz said Peace Road was originally scheduled for resurfacing a few years ago.
“We like to plan five or more years [ahead]. Now that 2014 has arrived, Peace Road is up for resurfacing,” Schwartz said. “For this project there is going to be pothole repairs, work on traffic signals and overlay for the entire section.”
Schwartz said it’s far less expensive to do preventative work than to wait until roads are no longer in driving condition.
“We do have the estimate of cost at $1.48 million, which came from comparing projects in nearby areas,” Schwartz said. “For now, it’s just an estimate.”
