170th Street is currently a 4-lane east-west thoroughfare in the Village of South Holland under the jurisdiction of Cook County. As the pavement is in very poor condition, an improvement of 170th Street has been planned and will include full reconstruction of the South Park Avenue intersection and all roadway pavement on 170th Street east to the bridge approach over I-94.
New traffic signals will be constructed at three intersections on 170th Street and will provide protected left-turn lanes at South Park Avenue, Cottage Grove Avenue and Greenwood Avenue.
The improvement between South Park Avenue and Langley Avenue will provide four 12’ lanes, and then transition to three lanes at Cottage Grove. A bike path will be provided in the south parkway.
Between Cottage Grove and Greenwood Avenue, the construction will be similar to Cottage Grove Avenue north of 170th Street, providing two 12’ through lanes, one 12’ bi-directional turn lane and 4’ bike lanes.
The three-lane cross section will transition to four lanes east of Greenwood Avenue to align with the west bridge approach and a 10’ bike path will be provided along the south parkway. A sidewalk will be provided along the north parkway throughout the improvement. In addition, minor adjustments will be made to the profile to provide better drainage in the parkways. Cook County, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration all concur that the high traffic count on this street is appropriate for three lanes.
Four lanes will be constructed west of Cottage Grove in order to provide queue for traffic leading up to the railroad crossing.
While it was our hope that an underpass at the CN Railroad tracks would be feasible, its cost of more than $20,000,000 has not been funded. Therefore need for right-of-way acquisitions due to the grade separation is no longer necessary. The roadway reconstruction is scheduled to begin in May 2012, with funding through the SSMMA federal Surface Transportation Program and Cook County.
170th & South Park Intersection Reconstruction Plan. Click for a larger view.
170th & Cottage Grove Intersection Reconstruction Plan. Click for a larger view.
