McHenry Times

Ways to address the dangerous intersection of Kreutzer Road and Huntley-Dundee Road in Huntley was just one topic of discussion regarding village streets during a January 12 village board meeting. 

Timothy Farrell, Director of Public Works and Engineering, told trustees from 2012-2021 there were 48 crashes, one fatal, and five with incapacitating injuries at the intersection. 

"Staff has identified two potential solutions to improve this intersection. The first solutions should be considered an interim alternative that would involve pavement widening and a left turn deceleration lane from northbound Huntley Dundee Road onto westbound Kreutzer Road. The estimated cost for this improvement is about $500,000, not including any right-of-way acquisition that may be necessary. A second, more permanent solution would include a roundabout," Farrell said during the meeting. 

There was some public opposition to the roundabout, and the board expressed hesitations too, but opted to move forward with a feasibility study while making no promises that it would result in the construction of a roundabout.

Trustees also entered into a $116,000 agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering to design a lighting scheme for the intersection of Route 47 and Kreutzer Road. 

During the meeting, trustees waived the competitive bidding process and accepted contracts for LED street light replacement throughout the city. The projects include nearly $400,000 in LED traffic lights, a trailer-mounted impact attenuator, and engineering services. The city budgeted $920,000 for the street lighting program in FY2023. It's an ongoing project that is expected to save the village in the long run in both repair and energy costs.