Illinois Tollway

Elgin O’Hare Western Access (EOWA) Mainline: U.S. 20 to IL 83

Miles of Construction Inspection

Following the completion of other Elgin O’Hare Western Access contracts, Civiltech was again selected to provide construction engineering services on this mainline contract. This work included concrete pavement, ramps, retaining walls, and two new bridges. Construction inspection was a significant part of the scope of work and included inspecting miles of new concrete pavement lanes, erosion control for substantial earthwork undertaking, long lengths of decorative MSE walls, underground drainage installation, Toll Plaza installation, and multifaceted staging and traffic control for heavily congested corridors.

Click on image to view large.

Installing Bridges on a Skew Point

The greatest challenge on this project was the installation of the new mainline bridges over Prospect Avenue which were at the skew point where the new EOWA mainline crossed the existing Thorndale alignment. Installing these bridges while maintaining the heavy traffic on Thorndale and the eventual frontage roads required complex staging. The northern bridge had to be constructed in sections as lanes on Thorndale were relocated around the work zone with temporary pavement through multiple stages. The Civiltech team worked with the contractor to determine efficient ways to move traffic past the work zone while leaving enough room for construction.

Civiltech Delivers Outstanding Construction Management Services

Inspecting all the work simultaneously on concrete pavement both doweled and continuously reinforced, along with two new bridges, and including the associated earthwork and retaining walls was a large task which required outstanding organization and contract administration. Civiltech ensured all items were properly inspected and fully documented and provided coordination with adjacent municipalities, DuPage County, and IDOT. All stakeholders were kept informed on decisions that affected them.