Route 47 roadwork: Woodstock braces for 2-year widening project starting in 2025

Drivers along the Route 47 corridor in Woodstock will soon see a non-orange reminder that a major roadwork project is ahead.

Woodstock city officials announced in an email earlier this week that tree clearing along the corridor is beginning. The tree removal work will stretch along the state highway from Davis Road, which is just south of Route 14, to Grove Street, which is just north of Route 120, according to the city.

[ All you need to know about the Route 47 widening ]

Drivers should anticipate “daily moving lane closures” during the tree removal process, according to the city, and officials expect the work to run through the end of March.

It’s the closest sign yet that the much-anticipated Route 47 project is about to begin. Route 47 between Route 14 and Route 120, a stretch of about two miles that runs through the heart of Woodstock, will be widened as part of the construction work. The work is expected to last for about two years, according to city officials.

The project’s eventual scope covers the roughly five-mile stretch from Route 14 north to Charles Road, but the Illinois Department of Transportation website says funding for construction work for the stretch between Route 120 and Charles Road was not included in the current highway improvement program. IDOT said that portion “will be included in our priorities for future funding consideration among similar improvement needs throughout the region.”

In addition to widening the road, a multi-use path will be installed on the east side of Route 47. Several roundabouts are also planned for the corridor, including at the Lake Avenue, McConnell Road and Judd Street-Irving Avenue intersections, according to the IDOT website for the project.

IDOT is expecting to work on the project in stages. People might need to take detours during roundabout construction, but IDOT plans during most of the roadwork to keep one lane in each direction open during construction, with temporary access to commercial and residential structures maintained along the route.

Most of the land acquisition needed for right-of-way has been secured, but negotiations are underway for Union Pacific parcels, according to the city of Woodstock website. City Manager Roscoe Stelford said there was one parcel left with negotiations, which is for installing a tunnel east of the railway underpass.

Stelford said the state expects to select the contractor or contractors through a bidding process this spring. Stelford said “June is definitely fair” as an estimate for when construction will kick off.

The city said the community, its residents, businesses and property owners will be affected by the “challenging, yet critical, infrastructure project intended to ease traffic congestion along this vital arterial roadway.”

Business owners along the corridor had a variety of thoughts about how the construction might affect them.

Don Buss, who opened up natural pet food store Pawstock along the Route 47 corridor this year, said his business has local delivery to Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley and that customers have asked about delivery options in case store access is an issue during construction. He said he trusts the state and city will do their best to protect the retailers along the corridor.

“I think we’re going to be OK. I hope so,” Buss said.

Terrabis, slated to be the first cannabis dispensary to open within city limits, is also on the stretch of Route 47 under construction. Matt Anderson, the manager of real estate for Terrabis, said the dispensary will most likely open in the first week of March.

Anderson said the company needs to coordinate with IDOT and is seeking clarity on the project, including its timeline. He said the city was working to make sure the businesses won’t get hit too hard by construction.

Anderson said it wasn’t ideal but “we’ll be able to work through” the construction.

Travis Slepcevich, the owner of Holzlager Brewing, is more concerned about the construction.

“We know sales will drop significantly,” Slepcevich said. He added he didn’t know about the potential impact because the state and city haven’t filled Holzlager in about the project.

The construction comes as the businesses faces other pressures, with Slepcevich saying consumer preferences are shifting away from craft beer. He said taproom sales, which are down 35% from two years ago, make up 70% of the business. The company is trying to get wholesale sales up to 50%.

Stelford said the city plans to send out materials to the businesses along the corridor with tips and best practices to get through the construction.

But while construction is imminent, Woodstock has been working on ways to fund some of the costs it’s shouldering in relation to the project.

Relocating city utilities comes with a $13.8 million price tag, according to the city’s website. The city submitted a grant request to U.S. Rep. Bill Foster’s office for $4 million to help with the project, and according to the city website, local officials are anticipating an announcement soon on whether the funding will be secured. Stelford said IDOT’s contractor will handle moving the city’s utilities, but the city has to pay for it.

The city is also on the hook for streetscape and lighting improvements to the tune of $3.5 million, and is seeking out a $3 million Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant to cover most of the costs.

IDOT estimates its portion of costs, which covers the widening, intersection improvements and a culvert replacement, among other things, will come out to $58.6 million. The agency said $9.6 million of that went to land acquisition.