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After 350 million years, what’s Thornton Quarry’s future?

(Photo by Tom Houlihan/H-F Chronicle)

 

Get ready for one more traffic stop along Vollmer Road.

With the addition of traffic signals in front of the soon-to-be-open Meijer superstore, the straight shot between Governors Highway and Crawford Avenue is about to end.

Traffic lights at the main entrance to the Meijer complex were installed last week. Scott Bugner, Flossmoor’s inspectional services administrator, said May 5 has been set as the tentative date for the signals becoming operational.

The 192,000-square-foot Meijer store is expected to open in June. In March, Meijer announced it would be hiring 280 employees at the store.

Pepper Construction, the general contractor for the Meijer project, supervised the installation of the new traffic lights, Bugner said. The Cook County Department of Transportation – which has jurisdiction over Vollmer Road – and the Village of Flossmoor must sign off on the lights once they are complete and operational.

Meijer was required to complete a traffic study as part of the development process for the store. That study warranted the need for the installation of traffic signals, Bugner said. He estimated that it takes about one year from the time traffic signals are designed to the date they are operational.

Meijer is paying for all costs of the traffic signal and roadway improvements along the store’s frontage. As required by Cook County, Flossmoor will be responsible for the energy and maintenance costs for the traffic signal, Bugner said.  The village will not be responsible for the maintenance of the signal until after a 15-month warranty period.

Besides its main store and gas station, Meijer is expected to develop five additional retail spaces in its complex. Flossmoor still owns 26 acres on the land just east of Meijer and plans to develop that property for retail use.

 Late last year, the village entered into a contract with Houseal Lavigne Associates, of Chicago, a consulting firm specializing in municipal economic development. Houseal Lavigne will provide advisory services aimed at attracting the right developers on the land next to the Meijer complex.

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