All lanes were reopened this week to traffic on Illinois Highway 53 between Devon Avenue and Algonquin Road after an $8.1 million patching and resurfacing project was completed two weeks ahead of schedule, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The project started in June and required lane closures both northbound and southbound for a 5-mile stretch in the Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village area, causing a traffic headache.
Kerry Field, IDOT resident engineer for the project, said the last barricade, near Algonquin Road, was taken down about noon Tuesday. He attributed the early finish to good scheduling and good weather. The scheduled date for completion had been Aug. 31.
The contractor, K-Five of Lemont, will receive a $225,000 bonus for early completion, said Mike Ward, a spokesman for IDOT. He said cleanup and landscaping work will continue, but they will not interfere with traffic.
The repairs should last for eight to 10 years, Field said.