Rollins Road Gateway Makes Roads & Bridges ‘Top 10’

The Rollins Road Gateway project in Lake County, IL, has earned the #10 spot on the highly coveted Roads & Bridges 2016 ‘Top 10 Roads’ listing. This annual ranking recognizes the top roadway projects in North America and is judged based on project challenges, impact to the region and scope of work. The $32 million Rollins Road Gateway, which is the largest project undertaken by Lake County to date, entailed a new railroad grade separation of the Wisconsin Central rail line from Rollins Road traffic; 1.5 miles of new roadway; a shifted roadway alignment; and a wider intersection which significantly reduced delays. It also boosted economic development at the busy intersection of Rollins Road and IL Route 83. Key challenges included complex staging and roadway runarounds to keep traffic flowing during construction; extensive utility relocations; major drainage improvements; and extensive public involvement, including surveys, a project website, 3-D renderings and public meetings that turned initial project opposition into widespread support.

Benesch provided Phase I, II and III services for the Rollins Road Gateway project, which ultimately transformed a major traffic bottleneck into a safer, streamlined intersection that dramatically improved traffic capacity, boosted economic development, added pedestrian facilities and enhanced the overall environment.