Bernard Drive;
Arlington Heights Road to Buffalo Grove Road
Phase I Study Archive
A live Zoom meeting was held on October 27, 2020 at 5pm to present meeting material and provide attendees the opportunity to talk directly to project engineers and ask questions. The recording of this virtual meeting can be found in the Comment Submission section.
Station 1: Project Overview
Bernard Drive is proposed to be reconstructed from Arlington Heights Road to Buffalo Grove Road. Bernard Drive is located in and under the jurisdiction of the Village of Buffalo Grove. Both project termini at Arlington Heights Road and Buffalo Grove Road are under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, and no improvements are anticipated at these signalized intersections.
The underlying pavement was constructed in the 1950’s at the east end of Bernard Drive and in the 1970’s at the west end of Bernard Drive and is nearly 70 or 50 years old, respectively, with more frequent cycles of maintenance required. As such, the Village views the roadway to be near the end of its life and the most cost-effective pavement management approach is to reconstruct the roadway, which requires the evaluation of safety, drainage, non-motorized and roadway needs. Full-depth reconstructed means that the asphalt, road base and curb will be entirely removed and replaced. This is similar to what is currently occurring on Thompson Road and Brandywyn Road in Lake County.
Project Location Map
Overall Project Development Process
The Phase I Engineering Study is the first step in the overall project development process and examines transportation needs and solutions along Bernard Drive. The Phase I Study is anticipated to be completed in early 2021. Once complete, the project will move into Phase II which involves contract plan preparation and land acquisition (if any) and typically takes 18 to 24 months. Phase III is construction and is the final phase of the project development process. The Phase I Study process is a requirement for federal funding eligibility. The Village utilized local funds for the Phase I Study and has obtained federal funding for Phase II. Phase III construction funds have not been secured and may be delayed without additional funding.
Phase I Study Process and Timeline
The objective of the Phase I Study was to evaluate the needs of all modes of roadway users and to identify a preferred solution. After the close of this virtual Public Information Meeting, the preferred alternative will be refined, and engineering reports finalized.
Station 2: Project Information
Average Daily Traffic and Safety Data
The project study area is not a high accident location as determined by IDOT. 66 crashes in a five-year period (2014 to 2018) resulted in 23 injuries and no fatalities. 22 (33.3%) of crashes were angle and 16 (24.2%) were turning left. Angle and turning left crashes can be attributed to the frequency of side streets and driveways. An effective countermeasure is to improve intersection sight distances. Click on the map below to open the full-size file in a new window.
Proposed Typical Roadway Sections
The existing and proposed typical roadway sections are provided below as viewed looking east along the road. The Bernard Drive existing right-of-way (ROW) is 80 feet wide within the west portion of the project area and 60 feet wide within the east portion of the project area. Bernard Drive is proposed to be reconstructed in the west portion of the project with the same pavement width, and is proposed to be reconstructed two feet narrower in the east portion of the project to provide a minimum five-foot separation from the bike path to the road within the existing 60' wide ROW. Click on the below image to open the full-size file in a new window.
Proposed Improvement Key Elements
Water main and sanitary sewer improvements will not be a part of this project but will be included as a part of a coordinated effort. This utility work will likely take place in advance of this project by years or months. Click on the above image to open the full-size file in a new window.
Section 4(f) Temporary Occupancy
The Village of Buffalo Grove is seeking public comments on the effects that proposed improvements to Bernard Drive will have on the Buffalo Grove Park District’s Alcott Center. The Alcott Center, which is under the jurisdiction of the Buffalo Grove Park District, is a significant, publicly owned park. As such, it is subject to protection under Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966.
For the Bernard Drive project, the Village of Buffalo Grove intends to seek a Section 4(f) “Temporary Occupancy” finding from the Federal Highway Administration based on a determination that the project will not adversely affect the features, attributes or activities that qualify the Alcott Center for protection under Section 4(f). Effects of the Bernard Drive project on the Alcott Center will include a temporary easement to replace a portion of the existing bike path to meet the proposed bike path and sidewalk along Bernard Drive for ADA compliance and replace the White Pine Ditch culvert under Bernard Drive. Mitigation will include replacing the bike path, culvert and land to pre-project conditions or better. The Section 4(f) Temporary Occupancy documentation may be viewed here. Click on the above map to open the full-size file in a new window.
Proposed Detour Route During Construction
Click on the above image to open the full-size file in a new window.
Station 4: Comment Submission
We Want Your Input on the Proposed Roadway Improvement Plan!
We encourage comments throughout the course of the study, however, questions and comments received by November 11, 2020 will be specifically added to this virtual Public Information Meeting record. Comments can be submitted using the online form below or by printing and sending in the comment form.
A live Zoom meeting was held on October 27, 2020 to present meeting material and provide attendees the opportunity to talk directly to project engineers and ask questions. The recording of this Zoom meeting can be viewed below.
Please note this Public Information Meeting webpage has been specifically created for the Phase I Study which is anticipated to be completed early 2021.
Print Comment Submission Form
Click here to download a printable comment form.