CHICAGO -- Now that snow and freezing temperatures are hopefully behind us, a number of roads in the Chicago area are getting some much-needed pothole repairs.
The Illinois Department of Transportation has started a 16.3 million dollar pothole patching project that is supposed to be complete by the end of June.
IDOT spokesman Mike Klaffey says contractors started work Monday morning in Cook and Kane Counties and will begin next Monday in DuPage.
Major roads being repaired in Chicago include: 159th Street between Torrence and Cicero avenues; 147th Street between Torrence and Sacramento avenues; 26th Street from East End and Western avenues; 87th Street between Cicero Avenue and Pulaski Road; and Harlem Avenue from Addison Street to North Avenue.
Klaffey says the permanent patching involves scraping off some pavement and filling holes with hot asphalt.
He says it's more effective than the patching done during the winter.
IDOT is working on additional patching contracts in Lake, McHenry and Will Counties.
Klaffey says this past winter has been among the worst for potholes in the last two decades due to a number of freeze- thaw cycles that wreak havoc on pavement.
The work in each location will last for several days; these projects are expected to be complete by the end of June.
Motorists are urged to allow extra time when patching work is going on and to seek alternate routes to avoid delays.
Drivers who are going through work zones should reduce their speed, closely read the signs and stay alert for workers and construction equipment.
For South Cook County, following are some of the key road segments that will be patched:
•1. 159th St (Torrence to Cicero)
•2. Torrence Ave (Sauk Trail to 138th St)
•3. 147th St (Torrence to Sacramento Ave)
•4. 95th St (Rt 171 to LaGrange Rd)
• 5. Flavin Road (95th St to 104th St)
• 6.Route 83 (104th to Archer Ave)
•7. 26th St. from East End to Western Ave.
•8. 87th St. from Cicero to Pulaski
•9. 119th St. from US 45 to IL 83
•10. 131st St. from Harlem to SW Highway
•11. 154th St. from Michigan City Rd. to I-94
•12. Ashland from 138th St. to Sibley
Some of the sections that will be patched in North Cook County:
•1. Lake Cook Road from Green Bay Road to Sheridan Road
•2. Forest Way Drive from Tower Road to Dundee Road.
•3. Hibbard Road from Lake ave. to Winnetka Rd.
•4. Green Bay Road from Kennilworth Ave. to Winnetka Road
•5. Gross Point Road from Golf Rd. to Winnetka Road
• 6. Golf Road from Schermer Road to McCormick Blvd.
•7. Montrose Ave. from Forest Preserve Dr. to Narragansett Ave.
•8. Narragansett from Addison St. to Montrose
•9. Forest Preserve Drive from Belmont to Montrose
•10. Harlem Ave. from Addison to North Ave.
•11. North Ave. at Manheim Rd.
•12. Wolf Road from Euclid Road to Palatine Road
•13. Kensington Road from Wolf Roadto Rand Road
•14. Golf Road from Wolf Road to I-290
•15.Route 62 from Golf to Wolf Road.
•16. Wolf Road from Touhy to Golf.
Sections that will be patched in Kane County:
•1. Galena Blvd ( IL 56 to Hankes Road)
•2.Route 31 (Lovedale Lane to Route 56)
•3. Route 47 (Main Street to Dean Street)
•4. Route 47 (Rolling Oaks to Galena Blvd)
•5. Route 47 (US 30 to Jericho Road)
•6. Route 47 at Route 56 Ramps
•7. Route 58 in Elgin
•8. Route 64 (8th Ave to Route 59)
•9. Route 64 (Lafox Road to Dean Street)
•10. US 20 at I-90 (Hampshire)
•11. US 20 Right Turn Lane to SB Route 47
•12. US 30 (Douglass to US 34)
•13. US 30 (US 34 to Heggs Road)
•14.Route 25 (Hazel Ave to Kane/Kendall County Line)
Work in DuPage, starting May 12:
•1. 22nd Street from Butterfield Road to Route 38.
•2. US 20 from Walnut Road to York Road.
•3. Route 38 ( from County Farm Road to Route 59)
•4. Route 38 ( from Route 59 to Kirk Road )
•5. Route 53 (75th Street to St. Andrews Road)
• 6. Route 53 (Baker Hill Road to Nichole Way )
•7. Route 53 ( Lake Street to I-290)
•8. Route 56 ( I-355 to Lloyd Avenue)
• 9. Route 56 ( Naperville Road to Route 25)
•10. Route 59 ( IL 64 to Hawthorne Lane )
•11. Route 83 (Butterfield Road Bridge to Riverside drive )
•12. Thorndale Avenue (I-290 to Park Avenue )
•13. US 30 (Orchard Road to Blackberry Road )
•14. US 34 (I-355 to Belmont Avenue )
•15. US 34 (North Aurora to Route 59)