It appears the ball is officially rolling on the long-awaited Western Bypass in Algonquin.
The Illinois Department of Transportation opened up bids for the main construction contract last week. The lowest of 13 bids came from F H Paschen, which has its headquarters in Chicago, for $33,346,673.91, said Guy Tridgell, spokesman for the Illinois DOT, in an e-mail response.
IDOT now has 45 days to review the contract before awarding the bid, Tridgell said.
"The contractor has the option to back out or accept at that time," Tridgell said.
The purpose of the four-lane bypass is to relieve congestion at Route 31 and Route 62 downtown Algonquin.
On its northern edge, the Western Bypass will connect with Route 31 just north of Cary Road. The bypass will continue west of Route 31, will pass over Algonquin Road in the area where the Post Office is located and then will loop back over where the current Prairie Trail is located behind St. John's Lutheran Church and School.
The bypass will connect back with Route 31 at Huntington Drive at its southern-most edge.
Last month, grading and excavation work started on a portion of the bypass between Illinois Route 31 and Algonquin Road in Algonquin. That work is expected to be completed in November 2012.
