Local drivers expect delays and some confusion as crews start widening John Deere Road in Moline. But they also look forward to less congestion and faster trips after the work is done in two years.
Yesterday, the Illinois Department of Transportation held a open house to answer questions about the $51 million project.
John Wegmeyer, Project Implementation Engineer, says one goal of the plan is to minimize inconveniences. That's why the IDOT built an overpass at 38th Street a couple of years ago and worked on the 41st Street intersection to keep traffic flowing in that area.
One lane will be added on each side, and all the intersections will be improved. This year, traffic will be moved to the north side for the south or eastbound lanes to be removed and replaced. Then in the winter, traffic will go back to normal. And next year, the north side (westbound lanes) will be widened.
Wegmeyer says two lanes will be open in each direction while crews work on the other side. But traffic may be reduced to one lane in each direction at times. The project affects more than two miles of John Deere Road from I-74 to 70th Street.