City of Lake Forest, IL

While there’s more activity ahead, the good news is that all heavy construction is expected to be completed by mid-December 2022. Thank you for your continued patience as construction activities continue along Deerpath Road.

Here’s a preview of what to expect in the next few months:

Deerpath Road Resurfacing
Included with the IDOT pump station project, Deerpath Road will be resurfaced from Westmoreland Road to the west side of the creek adjacent to the City’s Public Safety Building. The contractor is expected to begin this work on Saturday, October 15 and complete the resurfacing in about three weeks (weather permitting). Resurfacing involves grinding the roadway and placing new asphalt, which will require intermittent lane closures with flaggers directing traffic. Since work on the ComEd Bridge will continue during this time period, drivers can expect traffic congestion and delays. We recommend drivers use Westleigh Road or Route 176, if possible.

ComEd Bike Path Bridge Replacement Project
ComEd's contractor is continuing work to replace the pedestrian bridge that runs over Deerpath Road parallel to Route 41. During this phase of work, two lanes of traffic will remain open at most times. However, Deerpath Road may be reduced to one lane of traffic with a flagger directing traffic while ComEd’s contractor works on the bridge abutments. To limit traffic impacts, the contractor has been instructed to avoid lane closures on weekdays during peak commute hours (i.e., 7-8 am, 3-4 pm). Starting the week of October 3, the north and south sidewalks in the area will be closed while the contractor is working on the two bridge abutments. 

In order for ComEd to install the new bridge, Deerpath Road will be completely closed between Ahwahnee Lane and Route 41 for two weekends in November. The first Deerpath Road closure will be Friday, Nov. 4 at 9 am through Monday, Nov. 7 at 6 am so that the bridge support walls can be poured. The second Deerpath Road closure will be Friday, Nov. 11 at 6 pm through Monday, Nov. 14 at 6 am so that the bridge deck can be lifted and placed onto the support walls.

The City encouraged ComEd to accomplish this work during a weekend to limit impacts. The new bridge and the Skokie Valley Bike Path are expected to re-open by the end of December 2022. For more information, visit the ComEd Bridge webpage.

IDOT Deerpath/Route 41 Viaduct Pump Station Project
The new pump station at the southwest corner of Deerpath Road and Ahwahnee Lane is almost complete and is expected to be in service by early December. While some electrical equipment is delayed and expected to arrive in early 2023, the pump station will be able to function without the equipment. Some of the flooding issues this year were caused when the old pump station failed. Once the new pump station is operational, it will help manage the stormwater that has historically flooded Deerpath Road under Route 41.

Overview Map of Planned Construction


How Can I Stay Informed?
Drivers will be encouraged to use Green Bay south to Westleigh Road to access both Route 41 and Waukegan Road throughout construction. For questions or issues related to these projects, please contact Engineering Assistant Bernard Pondexter at (847) 810-3556, pondextb@cityoflakeforest.com, or Superintendent of Engineering Byron Kutz at (847) 810-3555, kutzb@cityoflakeforest.com.

We understand that the traffic delays, dirt, and noise have been impactful, especially for those who live close to the construction area. Thank you for your continued patience while this work is completed to serve Lake Forest residents now and into the future.