Shnay: Major road project will be a lesson in patience

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Updated: March 20, 2012 8:05AM

First we have some good news.

This spring, after a year’s delay, the village of Park Forest will finally get around to fixing the rest of Orchard Drive — a project that is some five years overdue.

Orchard Drive is the main north-south thoroughfare that cuts through the center of town. It is the street that carries traffic to four churches, a school, the public library, the Aqua Center during the summer, and more than 150 homes. The roadway stretches from U.S. 30 south to Monee Road and provides access to the village’s downtown, the parking lot at the Metra station in Matteson, and all the major east-west streets in the village.

It is Park Forest’s main artery and, to be charitable, it is in horrible shape.

Now here’s the other news. Although the artery desperately needs work, reconstruction will make Orchard a one-way street going north. This will force a change of driving habits in and out of the Aqua Center. Drivers wishing to go south would be detoured through the Park Center Town Homes apartment complex along Cunningham Drive. Cars in the library parking lot will either follow that same route or may be able to exit onto Lakewood Boulevard.

Right now no one wants to go on the record, but one-way traffic may compel cancellation of the Fourth of July parade, which circles Central Park. It will also force a change of site for the post-parade concert and annual fireworks show.

Work will begin in April on the major portion of Orchard Drive from Lakewood Boulevard in the village’s downtown area north to U.S. 30. In addition, portions of both Lakewood and Indianwood boulevards from Orchard to Sauk Trail will be resurfaced. The section of North Street west of Orchard will also be repaved and the bridge over Thorn Creek in the subdivision south of Monee Road will be repaired.

Most of the money for the $7.2 million project will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Park Forest’s share is about $1 million with another $2.4 million coming from the $7 million settlement it received last year from Canadian National Railroad.

Major changes will include a center turn lane that will reduce Orchard Drive from two lanes to one lane in each direction. Again that may be both good and bad news. That NASCAR wannabe who needs to get in front of me can’t do so by passing me on the right. It also means I have to keep behind that driver who persists on driving 10 miles under the speed limit.

A double turn lane at Orchard and U.S. 30 will reduce the wait that now can stretch for nearly a block as drivers line up in their attempt to make a left-hand turn. There will also be bike lanes on both sides of the street — the better to get to and from Old Plank Trail Road.

Because you will only be able to drive north on Orchard, the village suggests some alternate routes going south — Western Avenue, Main Street in Matteson and Governors Highway. This is fine until you find yourself driving south on Western and the railroad crossing gates come down. Patience is still a virtue.

But take heart, dear reader. All will be better before Christmas rolls around. Orchard Drive then will be smooth and seamless. The other three streets will also get a needed facelift and the Thorn Creek bridge will be almost as good as new.

Did I forget something? Oh yes, now what about my street?

Jerry Shnay is a citizen journalist and can be reached at jerryshnay@gmail.com