Information provided by the Buffalo Grove Police Department...

This spring, summer, and fall the Cook County Highway Department will be reconstructing Arlington Heights Road from just south of University Drive to Lake Cook Road. The project will involve the complete removal of the entire roadway, curbs, gutters, medians, traffic signals, and replacement of water mains and sewers. The roadway will be replaced with a new 10-inch thick concrete roadway, curbs, gutters, new landscaped medians, upgraded traffic signals, new signage, and improved turn lane access to businesses along the construction route.

The project began March 7, 2011 with the removal of the traffic signals at the controlled intersections and installation of temporary traffic signals. On Monday, April 4, construction will begin with the closure of the northbound lanes, medians, and turn lanes; and all traffic will be shifted to the southbound lanes. On July 11 (estimated) traffic will shift to the northbound lanes and construction will move to the southbound lanes. The scheduled completion date for the project is currently November 4, with only some landscaping restoration to be completed by November 24, 2011.

How will this project impact Longfellow Elementary School?

• Arlington Heights Road will be reduced from four lanes to only two, with no turn lanes, from April to November 2011.
• There will be no left turns allowed from southbound Arlington Heights Road into the entrance drive for the    school during the duration of the construction. 
• All traffic must enter the school parking lot from the northbound lane of Arlington Heights Road.
• No motorists will be allowed to make a left turn from the school parking lot to go south on Arlington Heights Road.  All traffic exiting the school parking lot will have to make a right turn.

Motorists should avoid Arlington Heights Road whenever possible.  Parents wishing to drop off students should use alternate routes to get to the school.  Suggested routes include Bernard Drive to Weidner Road to Beechwood Road to northbound Arlington Heights Road.

How will this project impact Cooper Middle School?

• Arlington Heights Road will be reduced from four lanes to only two, with no turn lanes, from April to November 2011.
• There will be no left turns from Plum Grove Circle onto southbound Arlington Heights Road for the duration of the construction.
• There will be no left turns allowed from southbound Arlington Heights Road into Plum Grove Circle for the duration of the construction.
• All traffic on Plum Grove Circle will have to make a right turn onto northbound Arlington Heights Road.
• All motorists wishing to go to the school should use the residential side streets or turn onto Plum Grove Circle from northbound Arlington Heights Road.

Try to arrive earlier than usual to reduce congestion and to be sure you arrive at school on time.  Make sure to pay attention to any construction workers in the area, drive carefully through the construction zone and don’t use your cell phone when you are in a construction zone.