Batavia, IL-Officials at the Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory today (June 12) announced the temporary closing of the Pine Street entrance on the Laboratory’s west side, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on June 13. Traffic will enter and exit through the Wilson Street gate, a mile north on Kirk Road, until ongoing construction is finished at Pine Street. Kane County Department of Transportation officials estimated that Pine Street will reopen to traffic in about three weeks, weather permitting.
Safety considerations prompted the rerouting of traffic. While original plans called for keeping the Pine Street entrance open during improvements by Kane County to the intersection of Pine Street and Kirk Road, rainy weather has lengthened the construction period and eroded the edge of the roadway, creating a hazardous drop-off. While no serious accidents have occurred at the site, Laboratory officials acted to forestall problems.
The Kane County Department of Transportation has begun a construction project to add left turn lanes to Kirk Road at the intersection with Pine Street. The county will also add pedestrian walkways across Kirk Road.
Fermilab will post staff around the clock at the Wilson Street gate while Pine Street is closed. Staff will admit Fermilab employees, users, and others with appropriate identification, and will issue gate passes to members of the public who are visiting the Laboratory. At the completion of construction, the Pine Street gate will reopen as the Laboratory’s main entrance.
Fermilab is operated by Universities Research Association, Inc. for the U.S. Department of Energy.