North Aurora Road Improvement Project
This project is expanding the roadway between Fairway Drive and Frontenac Road to accommodate two lanes of traffic in each direction as well as a center turn lane, multi-use trail and sidewalk, with lighting and drainage improvements and a sound wall. Work on this phase of the project is expected to be complete by late summer 2023.
Project Updates
July 10, 2023: Beginning Monday, July 10, the outside east and westbound lanes will be closed to accommodate a pre-final stage of construction, which include the completion of the curb and gutters, sidewalks and streetlights. Traffic will be shifted to the two inside lanes between Fairway Drive and Frontenac Road. Traffic will be able to pass in both directions and access to businesses and neighborhoods will be maintained. See the image below for an illustration of the current traffic pattern.
April 14, 2023: Roadway construction resumed this week. Contractors are conducting pavement removal, curb and gutter work and asphalt paving in the coming weeks as they prepare to complete Phase 1 and reopen all lanes of the widened road late this summer.
Dec. 2, 2022: Roadway construction has concluded for the winter. The current traffic pattern will remain in place through the winter months. Work will resume in spring 2023 to finish the remaining curb and gutter installations, along with asphalt paving, street lighting and traffic signals. During winter, the electrical contractor will be installing conduit and cables to facilitate final installation of streetlights and traffic signals.
Aug. 8, 2022: Construction activities resumed on Monday, Aug. 8 after a 2-month pause due to the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 strike which impacted material production and supplies.
May 10, 2022: Construction is underway, with work taking place on the north side of the roadway. Vehicles are using the south side of the roadway for both eastbound and westbound travel. See the image below for an illustration of the current traffic pattern. Work to drill and set posts for the sound wall along the north side of North Aurora Road is underway. Once all posts are in place, installation of the sound wall panels will begin.
- Project Timeline (Updated July 10, 2023)
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Improvement Phase 1: The first phase is being conducted in partnership with the Naperville Township Road District to improve and widen the pavement between Fairway Drive and Frontenac Road. The scope of the project consists of widening the existing three-lane road to accommodate two traffic lanes in each direction, with a center turn lane, multi-use trail and sidewalk, as well as a sound wall and improvements to roadway lighting and drainage. Utility relocation work began in January 2021, and the project went to bid in March 2021. Storm sewer and temporary pavement work began in April 2021. Road construction on North Aurora Road took place during the 2021 and 2022 construction seasons. Crews resumed work the week of April 10, 2023 to complete pavement removal, curb and gutter work and asphalt paving. A new traffic pattern went into effect on July 10, 2023, to accommodate a pre-final stage of construction, which includes completion of curbs and gutters, sidewalks and streetlights. The first phase of work is projected to be complete in late summer 2023.
Improvement Phase 2: The second phase of work will improve the Canadian National/Wisconsin Central Railroad bridge over North Aurora Road in collaboration with the Naperville Township Road District and the City of Aurora (as each agency has jurisdiction over a portion of the roadway along this corridor). The scope of the project consists of replacing the roughly 110-year-old railroad bridge with a new structure that will span the newly expanded five traffic lanes on North Aurora Road, as well as the multi-use trail and sidewalk. In addition, roadway lighting, a pump station and increased vertical clearance will be provided. Construction on this phase of the project is tentatively projected to be complete in late 2025.
- Project Background
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The City of Naperville began work in 2006 to secure funding to improve sections of North Aurora Road to reduce vehicle congestion and crashes and improve access for bicyclists and pedestrians in the area. North Aurora Road between Route 59 and Pennsbury Lane is a traffic bottleneck because it is the only remaining section of this corridor with a single lane for traffic in each direction for several miles on either side. Existing traffic already exceeds roadway capacity, and traffic is expected to grow to nearly 33,000 vehicles a day by 2040. The City is conducting this roadway improvement project in two phases, one to widen the road and add pedestrian and bicycle access, and another to replace a roughly 110-year-old railroad bridge in the project area.