Major Illinois Intersection Getting a Glow-Up, Will It Be Worth It?

A much-needed glow-up is coming but it will not happen overnight. It will also come at the expense of a lot of money and construction headaches.

The end results will be pretty and new but until the completion, it's going to be a mess for drivers in Rockford.

WHERE AND WHEN?

The exact location is on East State State and will affect a handful of intersections, at Mill Road, Deane Drive, Perryville Road, the entrance behind Red Robin, and Buckley Drive.

If you have driven through the area in recent weeks you are likely aware the construction has already begun.

The Glow-Up

The $6,000,000+ upgrade includes the following.

New curbs, because curb appeal is important.

New gutters for water and garbage to flow into.

New sidewalks to walk along the sides of Perryville Road.

New "multi-use" path to use for more than one thing. (Is a sidewalk not enough?

The makeover will look great in the end but it is that in-between phases that will be an eyesore and traffic nuisance.

It feels like some of those spots along Perryville Road have been under construction for quite away. I can confirm that it has been happening since at least the end of October 2021. (It was a nightmare getting to that pop-up Halloween store.)

TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE

If you have zero patience for construction zones you may want to plan an alternative route if you're headed over there. Instead of pulling out your hair or screaming obscenities out your window maybe consider finding a back way. Construction isn't expected to wrap up until June. No specific date was mentioned, according to MyStateline.