Ribbon Cutting Marks Completion of Decades-Long Corridor Project in Kane County, IL
KANE COUNTY, IL—On August 29, local and state officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion and grand opening of the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor, a 5.6-mile, four-lane roadway featuring a new bridge over the Fox River. The project, more than 30 years in the making, aims to reduce traffic congestion in Northern Kane County, improve safety and drive economic growth in the region.
Over the past eight years, Benesch has played a significant role in constructing two key segments of this corridor. The Kane County Division of Transportation (KDOT) initially selected Benesch to provide construction management services for Section D, which included building a half mile of new roadway and widening a portion of Illinois Route 62. Following the successful completion of this section, Benesch was chosen to oversee Section C-2, which involved completing the corridor with one mile of new roadway, a steel-beam bridge over Sandbloom Road, a multi-use path and new traffic signals.
“Longmeadow Parkway really tested our problem-solving skills,” said Construction Project Manager Mark Molnar, PE. “From unexpected soil conditions to utility conflicts, we faced challenges that could have significantly delayed progress, but our team was able to develop solutions that kept the project moving.”
Given the corridor’s proximity to the Fox River, the project team had to pay extra attention to erosion and sediment control. The erosion control plans were adjusted to address the sensitive environment and minimize impacts to the river.
The project team also encountered a gas line positioned over 15 feet away from its expected location, creating a conflict with two proposed retaining walls. A revised staging plan and altered roadway geometry were quickly developed to successfully eliminate the need for the retaining walls and keep the project on schedule.
Now complete and open to the traveling public, the new corridor is expected to significantly reduce commute times and ease congestion on nearby bridges along IL Routes 62 and 72. Already, local commuters have noted time-saving benefits.
“We’ve heard from some early users that they’ve shaved significant time off their commutes in the short time the bridge has been open,” Molnar added.
Benesch was named KDOT’s Phase 3 Consultant of the Year in December 2023, largely in recognition of the team’s work on the corridor. The completion of Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor marks a major achievement for Kane County, providing a long-awaited solution to traffic congestion and supporting future growth and development in the region.
