By Tyler Davis

Staff Writer

It is a well-known fact that when removing a band-aid, the best approach is to rip it off all at once to minimize the stinging pain associated with removal.  This is comparable to the upcoming shortterm pain coming with the newest project to arrive in the community of Huntley.  The widening of Route 47 from Kreutzer to Reed Road will cause reasonable short-term pain, but in the end, the long-term benefi ts should outweigh the shortterm frustration.     For students, the widening of the road will provide for a faster commute to school in the end.  Because there will be less congestion once the project is completed, there will be less traffi c.      “In my case, it will probably help me a lot,” said senior Kristin Summerville, who uses Route 47 to get to work.     Route 47 passes through approximately seven miles of Huntley with a daily traffi c of about 25,000 vehicles.  Because of the heavy traffi c, drivers are constantly faced with gridlock traffi c and nonstop aggravation.     “We honestly don’t need more traffi c,” said senior Melissa Jerome, who believes that widening the road will not be worth the staggering traf-fi c faced during construction.  “I don’t think anyone is going to benefi t.”     Bill Geegan, village engineer for Huntley, will oversee the construction aspect of the widening of Route 47 (which is an Illinois Department of Transportation project), including the dealings with local businesses.  He also coordinates the village utility adjustments. The widening of Route 47 will create changes in grade and width that will overlap with certain village utilities within the Rt. 47 “right of way,” which is owned by IDOT.     To compensate for the road being torn up, IDOT will aid in something they call signing.  Signs will be placed on the roadway indicating where the driveways and parking lots for businesses are.  Otherwise, the consumer may feel that they are intruding on the construction area. Roadside businesses will stay open; it may just be more diffi cult to get to them.     “I think this project has a long history of need,” said Geegan.     The project had been postponed until now because of funding issues in the past.  The recent Capital Bill approved the funding for the widening of Route 47 from three lanes to fi ve lanes (two through lanes each and a center turn lane), appropriating $41.3 million.  IDOT will be letting the project in November 2009, unless this date is moved up.  Letting is the process of opening the project to bids from various construction companies.  If all goes as scheduled, construction should begin in spring of 2010, lasting two construction seasons (MarchNovember.)      “I think it’ll be hard for people who go to MCC; there’ll be a lot of traffi c,” said junior Christian Ledesma.  “But it will be worth it in the end, so people can get to school Route 47’s subsidiary, Kreutzer Road, is being repaired before the construction on 47.and other places faster.”       IDOT will not be closing Route 47 during construction and there is no detour planned for construction.  Construction will be staged and completed during traffi c.  One side of the road will be completed at a time, meaning major congestion will most likely occur during construction. Bill Geegan recommends that commuters allow for extra time in their commute.  He also has three essential tips for drivers: “Patience, patience, patience.