November 17, 2021

With our nation’s infrastructure development getting a major influx of funding soon, it’s fitting that today’s featured project in our Top 100 countdown is a massive highway project we completed for the Illinois Tollway in 2016.

For the Elgin O’Hare Expressway, Epstein served as the managing partner of a Joint-Venture with GRAEF Engineering and Baxter+Woodman to provide Phase II engineering for improvements and to convert the existing freeway to a toll road along the Elgin O’Hare Expressway Illinois Route 390 from US 20 (Lake Street) to Meacham Medinah Road.

The engineering scope of services included the: widening and resurfacing of existing mainline pavement, rehabilitation and widening of eight existing mainline bridges and construction of six new mainline tolling plazas, which are the first all-electronic mainline plazas on the Illinois Tollway System. Epstein also resurfaced traffic signals at cross roads, implemented new LED lighting, performed a barrier warrant analysis, incorporated six new noise abatement walls, highway signage, and overhead structures and truss dynamic message signs. We were also responsible for erosion control, maintenance of traffic, and drainage improvements. There included new ditches with a preferred channel section and bioswales, modifications to the existing storm sewer system, the construction of four new stormwater detention basins, and the expansion of an existing detention basin.

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The project was performed on an aggressive schedule with a December 2012 notice to proceed and the first two contracts for noise wall advertised on April 18, 2013. In order to enhance team communication, coordination and quality, a team center was established at Epstein’s office.

Epstein’s responsibilities included overall management of the contract and team, lead engineering on the geometry and roadway component, support of structural engineering and local roads improvements, and highway signage.