U.S. Rte 45 Millburn Bypass
The Work
U.S. Route 45 serves as a vital link between Wisconsin’s border and Chicago’s northern suburbs, carrying as many as 16,900 vehicles per day on the two-lane roadway. As the population in the area grew, the roadway was experiencing significant traffic congestion, particularly at two intersections at Millburn Road and Grass Lake Road. In fact, the bottleneck became known as the “Millburn strangler.”
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) determined that the area between IL 132 and IL 173 would be best served with a one-mile highway realignment in order to bypass the Millburn historic district. Berger was hired as the general contractor to complete the project, which included 150,000 CY of earth movement as well as storm sewer installation and a detention basin.
The Challenge
The project started with mass excavating and grading in order to create the space for a completely new road with no existing infrastructure. Our teams also installed arch pipe, including a unique culvert through a live creek, which added to the challenge by having to build through flowing water.
This project required heavy attention to planning and coordination. Berger managed 14 subcontractors, scheduling and coordinating every step of the process. We also collaborated with many stakeholders throughout to keep them informed and engaged, including multiple village agencies and property owners.
The Result
Berger crews completed a full realignment of the state highway, and because of the successful project, received the 2019 General Contractor of the Year Award from the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA).
As a result of the project, a major traffic bottleneck in the town of Millburn has been eliminated. The community is thrilled to preserve their historical district, and homeowners are relieved at the huge impact this has on their daily travel.