Construction on worn and cracked Route 23 in DeKalb and Sycamore is scheduled to begin Sept. 6.

“The condition of the road is pretty beat up; there are many cracks and uneven surfaces,” DeKalb City Manager Mark Biernacki said. “It is necessary to resurface the roads and create a much more stable surface.”

The road’s current condition spurred the construction project.

“The existing roadway surface has deteriorated,” said John Wegmeyer, project implementation engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation. “We have to go in and resurface the roads and keep the roadways in good shape.”

The price tag for keeping the roadway in good shape is about $2.1 million, 80 percent of which will come from federal funds, Wegmeyer said. The remaining 20 percent will come from state gas tax funds.

The renovations will not come from local taxes because Route 23 is a state highway, Biernacki said.

The project is expected to be completed by late fall so regular commuters can use the improved roads as soon as possible.

“We are going to do some construction at night to reduce the impacts on traffic,” Wegmeyer said.

Noise generated by the construction also concerned residents. Several have requested the city reduce the noise pollution at the site.

“Any construction work will create noise,” Biernacki said. “The roads in residential areas that need work will be done during the day.”

Construction in residential areas done during the day is beneficial for most men and women with jobs and children who are in school, Biernacki said.

Although changes have been made to accommodate nearby residents, they will have to make a few adjustments.

Wegmeyer urged DeKalb and Sycamore residents to plan on leaving their homes a few minutes early to accommodate any delays caused by the construction and also to drive carefully.