Crystal Lake and the Illinois Department of Transportation will activate the new traffic light signals at the intersection of Route 176 and Briarwood Road on Thursday, Sept. 27.

The traffic controls culminate a summer-long construction project at the intersection. 

Improvements included installation of the signals, new intersection street lighting, widening and resurfacing of the existing roadway for the addition of dedicated left-turn lanes for each approach. Right-turn lanes on Briarwood Road and improved drainage also were added.

The road project is the result of a joint effort between the city of Crystal Lake, which owns the north leg of Briarwood; DORR Township, which owns the south leg of Briarwood; and the Illinois Department of Transportation, which maintains Route 176.

Part of Briarwood Road was straightened in an effort to make the intersection safer.

“This intersection has a high accident rate,” said Abby Wilgreen, assistant city engineer for Crystal Lake. ”It’s a very dangerous intersection as there are no left-turn lanes.”

The overall cost of the improvements is $1.7 million. A federal grant from the Surface Transportation Program is paying for $1.4 million of the work. The remainder of the costs will be split three-ways between Crystal Lake, IDOT and Dorr Township, Wilgreen said.