Construction Beginning at Gougar/Route 30

Residents are used to the slow traffic at Gougar Road and Route 30, and this summer it could get even worse.

But that's because construction is under way this week to create dedicated turn lanes at the intersection, which often bottlenecks. Village engineer Will Nash said Tuesday night that the project is beginning this week and should be complete by early September. 

Facing north on Gougar, there will be a dedicated left turn lane and right turn lane, as well as the existing through lane. Facing south, there will still be two lanes but the configuration will change. Instead of a right-only lane and a left/through lane, there will be a left-only lane and a right/through.

“It’s not only and inconvenience, but it’s a safety issue because people are pulling up and have trucks in front of them and can’t see,” Mayor Tim Baldermann said at a town hall meeting last year at . 

Residents have waited a while for a right turn lane there, so long that most drivers know to hug the left side of the lane so cars can squeeze past to the right.

This has been a needed upgrade in the mayor's eyes, but the road is in county territory, not the village's. 
According to a previous article, the county highway department said estimated the project is estimated to cost $1.5 million.

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