Huntley Helps Route 47 Businesses with Construction Crawl

Business at Huntley Taco Loco has been “terrible, beyond terrible” ever since the Route 47 construction project began last year, owner and manager Mariana Pacheco said.

There have been days Taco Loco had to close because of water main work, she said. And regular customers have had to figure out ways to get into the strip mall the restaurant is located.

The Route 47 construction project has been a pain for lots of commuters but perhaps no one has felt it more than businesses and owners, like Pacheco, along the route.

The and the are trying an idea organizers hope will help alleviate the negative impact the construction has had on local businesses: the Route 47 Construction Crawl. It is scheduled from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Hours may vary at individual businesses.

Huntley Trustee Pam Fender came up with the idea, said Margo Griffin, Huntley's business development coordinator.

“I really liked the idea of getting the public together to visit the businesses and show their appreciation to the businesses,” Griffin said.

Local businesses “have been hurting a lot from this process,” she said.

“I think a lot of people have changed their route in order to go around the construction and obviously, the businesses are still there,” Griffin said. “They have been very patient through the process.”

The Road Project

The Route 47 reconstruction and widening project began in the spring of 2010. The roadwork was supposed to be done by this month, but the Illinois Department of Transportation recently extended the contracts on the project. It will be completed by June.

Huntley officials have worked with businesses and developed a slogan, Shop Huntley First, to boost the local economy. Businesses, however, have had to deal with a sluggish economy, disruption of water services that resulted in closures due to construction and confusing reconfigurations of entrances.

“I think they (businesses) have done a great job, they have persevered,” Griffin said.

Twenty-nine businesses along Route 47 are participating in the construction crawl, she said. A lot of the businesses were very excited about the idea and appreciated the village’s effort, she said.

The construction crawl will help businesses get their names out there, introduce themselves to the community or reconnect with customers, Griffin said.

The Construction Crawl

Each business will be offering deals throughout the construction crawl and there will be raffles. For example, is offering the Route 47 Crawl Sampler with Italian beef, hot dog, fries, rings and soda for $4.59. Each business will have prizes.

A map featuring each business and its location is available on the village’s website, where there is also information on deals and prizes. No purchase is necessary to enter the raffles. Griffin said it’s a good idea to print out the map to use during the crawl.

People can get friends and family together and visit the businesses. “The more they visit, the better,” she said.

Huntley Taco Loco will be handing out free deserts, coupons and lunch cards, Pacheco said.

She thought a construction crawl is a good idea and she hopes it helps businesses, she said.

“It’s kind of a fun event to get people out and visiting the businesses,” Griffin said. “I think we really need to get people out on Route 47 again.”

Here are the businesses participating: