Elmhurst 'Wild West' Junction Upgrades Delayed Another 2 Years

ELMHURST, IL – Drivers who have long complained about the five-legged intersection in southwest Elmhurst will have to wait years longer for improvements.

The five legs of the intersection involve Riverside Drive, Monroe Street and Frontage Road.

It is next to Route 83, where there is a traffic light. Across the way is Walmart, which is in Villa Park's jurisdiction. Nearby on Riverside is Salt Creek Elementary.

A few years ago, the city said it received $2.6 million from the state to improve the intersection.

In October 2022, city official Kent Johnson told aldermen that construction would start in 2027 at the earliest.

The city is considering moving the intersection of Frontage, Monroe and Riverside several hundred feet away from Route 83. That would make it a four-legged intersection.

"That will allow cars to queue up for the light and not be competing in the Wild West of the intersection at 3:30 (p.m.) every day when lots of businesses let out a shift," Johnson said in 2022. "It's been that way for decades."

A year ago, the city indicated in budget documents that the project's construction would be in 2028. The latest records show the work has been pushed back to 2030.

At Monday's budget meeting, Alderman Mike Brennan, who represents the area, asked about the delay.

In response, Johnson, the city's acting manager, blamed it on the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The initial engineering, he said, could take up to three years.

"On a project like this, IDOT is going to take a long time," Johnson said. "That's our best guess at this time. If we can move the schedule up faster, I think we're committed to that. We'll continue to push IDOT."

The project involves wetlands and a floodplain, he said.

"Then you throw in one of the major highways in the area as well," Johnson said.

This year, the intersection became of particular concern when a developer proposed demolishing a Riverside Drive hotel to build a warehouse.

During hearings, neighbors said they feared the warehouse's truck traffic could worsen the five-legged intersection, often referred to as "The Bulb."

At Monday's City Council meeting, aldermen voted 12-1 for the developer's requested zoning. Alderman Rex Irby, who represents the area, voted no. Alderwoman Noel Talluto was absent.