By Nick Reiher

The reconstruction of the Weber Road/Knapp Drive intersection is open, with just some striping needed, said Jeff Ronaldson, Will County’s Director of Transportation.

And one person who’s thankful to see it is Crest Hill Mayor Ray Soliman. He said he would often drive that route to get to the old city hall at the corner of Knapp and Theodore.

“Waiting in that left lane on Weber, there’s that blind spot to the north. I’d see trucks barreling around the turn, hoping I they wouldn’t hit me.

“It was really scary.”

In fact, Soliman said, there were fatalities at that intersection. Drivers would be waiting in the left lane to turn on to Knapp from Weber, and cars coming around the curve would hit them from behind and push them into northbound traffic.

Soliman said Crest Hill Alderman Nate Albert asked a few years ago what they could do about the intersection with Knapp, a busy access road that links Weber Road, just north of where it turns into Larkin Avenue, and Theodore Street

The road offers access to Willow Falls Senior Living complex, Chase Bank, and a strip of shops, including The Southern Café and Firewater BBQ.

Soliman said they met with county transportation officials, since the county has authority over Weber Road.

After several meetings, the county and Crest Hill agreed to share the preliminary construction cost ($1.845 million including engineering) at 75/25 percent. The county and the city signed an agreement in November 2021, and after plans were drawn and right-of-way acquired, construction began in May.

“They were really great to work with,” Soliman said.

The agreement calls for the county to retain jurisdiction of Weber Road, and Crest Hill to retain jurisdiction of Knapp Drive.

In addition to the left-turn lane onto Knapp from southbound Weber, the intersection now also has separate lanes for right and left turns onto Weber, said Ronaldson.

“It is so much better now,” Soliman said.

Nick Reiher is editor of Farmers Weekly Review.