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Get Ready For The Headache-Inducing Road Projects Of Summer

(CBS) -- It's a rite of summer: road construction throughout the Chicago area.

CBS 2 traffic reporter Derrick Young takes a look at a few of the biggest projects that will affect your commute.

As sure as flowers bloom every spring, orange barrels appear and traffic backs up.

Among the major projects: the widening of Willow Road through northern Cook County, from Illinois 43 to I-94. Over the next two years, two miles of the road will be widened for the 32,000 drivers who travel it every day.

In the southern suburbs,  preliminary work has started to make LaGrange Road three lanes each way between 131st and 179th.

Unfortunately, 57,000 motorists  will have to endure construction congestion until early 2015.

In Chicago, 58 miles of city streets will be resurfaced this summer, including a 1 ½-mile section  on Adams Street from Michigan to Halsted.

One of the biggest expressway-widening projects is about to begin on I-94 between Route 173 and Wisconsin. It will affect up to 90,000 drivers, many who travel this way for their summer vacations.

Many motorists think road construction equals headache.

Tony Quigley of the Illinois Department of Transportation says he understands, but adds: "In the end, ultimately everybody will benefit from it."

"Oh yeah, there's a benefit when it's finished, but not until then," motorist Jim Pacella responds.

Also starting later this summer is a massive 2-year widening project on Route 59 in Naperville and another on the Jane Addams Tollway between Rockford and Elgin.

Here are some helpful links to get you through the construction season:

Gettingaroundillinois.com

Travelmidwest.com

Dot.il.gov

GettingaroundIllinois

Illinoisvirtualtollway.com

Chicagotraffictracker.com

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