Route 71 Construction Expected to be Completed in Fall of 2015

The construction work has only just begun on Route 71.

So far all of the work you’ve seen on Route 71 from just west of Orchard Road to Route 34 has merely been utilities.

Village administrator Steven Jones said so far the water line has been relocated at Nicor is almost done with the gas and ComEd is done with the electrical.

“AT&T is sort of dragging their feet,” said Jones, which is why utility work has not yet finished.

Route 71 is being widened from two lanes to five lanes after IDOT announced plans to do so several years ago.

Under the agreement, the Village will pay $325,000 of the just over $27.5 million. Village documents show that the federal is expected to pay about $20.1 million, the state will pay a little over $7 million and Kendall County will pay $35,075.

Most of the Village’s funds will be towards street lighting, traffic signals, sidewalks and a bike path installation.

The construction is really expected to get going in the spring of 2014 and Jones said will be the start of “18 months of hell.”

“Everyone will be impacted,” said Jones, referring to all governmental agencies in Oswego as well as residents. “We’ll do all we can to make this as smooth a transition of a construction zone as possible.”

The bulk of construction is expected to be finished in 2014 and will officially be completed in the fall of 2015.

Tell us: How will the Route 71 construction impact you?