Future
There have long existed plans for a four-lane limited access bypass to be constructed west of downtown Algonquin. This would alleviate traffic at what is currently the most congested intersection in McHenry County, and divert through traffic. Widening the existing roadway isn't an option due to the close proximity of the buildings of downtown Algonquin to the road.
The bypass would start on the south at Route 31's intersection with Huntington Drive and would loop west of downtown Algonquin northward to the northern village limits. An interchange with Algonquin Road would also be constructed.
The bypass was even featured on the front cover of IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation)'s Capital Improvements Plan during the Republican George Ryan years but was completely taken off the project list under Democrat Rod Blagojevich's administration. McHenry County is heavily Republican, and partisan politics may have been involved in the decision. The construction cost continues to go up as time goes by, and is now estimated at around $80 million. Even after U.S. Congressman Donald Manzullo secured millions in federal funding for the project, the State of Illinois has failed to match the funding, further delaying the project. A coalition of elected officials in McHenry County has recently made aggressive pushes to get the State to fund and build the Bypass, including a number of news conferences and a trip to the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.
Read more about this topic: Illinois Route 31
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