Copyright Shaw Local Enewspapers
Illinois Route 47, the main artery running through downtown Yorkville, will be closed from Nov. 2–4 as the Illinois Railway works on essential track repairs. The Yorkville Police Department is directing travelers to use the detour route from Illinois Route 71 to Orchard Road to U.S. Route 34 to navigate around the downtown area. The railroad crossing is at the intersection of Route 47 and Hydraulic Avenue. Commercial vehicle traffic will not be permitted through the closure area. “All commercial and truck traffic must follow the posted detour route to ensure safety and prevent congestion or property damage,” the police said in a release. “We understand this closure will cause temporary traffic disruptions and encourage drivers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and use alternate routes when possible.” Local businesses in the downtown corridor are remaining open and accessible throughout the roadway closure. The police “encourage residents and visitors to continue supporting downtown businesses throughout the project.” The project has been approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation and is being led and scheduled by Illinois Railway, according to the release. “These repairs are necessary to ensure long-term safety and reliability for both rail and vehicle traffic in the area,” the police said in the release. The rough conditions of the railroad crossing in downtown Yorkville have long raised safety concerns from community members and city officials alike. “It’s getting really rough again,” Alderman Ken Koch said during a June public works meeting. “I worry about stuff flying off trucks when they hit those.” Koch said several residents have been voicing their concerns that the rough tracks could potentially damage their vehicles or cause more significant safety concerns as cars suddenly hit their brakes to avoid damage. The city is currently involved in an engineering project with Illinois RailNet to create “quiet zones” along the tracks running through the downtown area and along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line on the northern side of town. Making the downtown tracks quieter involves eventually installing plastic delineator strips and reducing pedestrian track crossings, redirecting foot traffic. Trains would still be able to blow their horns for safety reasons.
