Deerfield is seeking applicants for its TeenConnect program. The program is aimed to connect Deerfield teens who are available to perform outside yard work with residents who are unable to do physical work themselves.

Lake County

Metra project to affect midday and weekend service

Lake County reported that a major railroad tie replacement project between Libertyville and Fox Lake will impact midday and weekend service on the northernmost part of Metra’s Milwaukee District North Line during the month of April, including a shutdown of the line north of Lake Forest for three consecutive weekends (April 7-8; April 14-15; and April 21-22). The project also will impact impact midday service on weekdays north of the Grayslake Metra station. Work is scheduled to begin April 5 and continue through April 27. Metra crews will replace 17,000 ties over a 17-mile single-track span between Fox and the Libertyville area. In addition to tie replacement, the work will include the replacement of five switches, brush clearing, and the continued upgrade of the signal system in preparation for the Positive Train Control safety system. If permits can be obtained from local municipalities, the rail crossings at St. Mary’s Road and Route 120 will also be replaced during the same time period. For detailed information about service impacts and schedule changes, visit www.metrarail.com — or call Lake County at 847-377-2000.

Deerfield

TeenConnect program offers work help for residents

Deerfield is seeking applicants for its TeenConnect program. The program is aimed to connect Deerfield teens who are available to perform outside yard work — such as shoveling snow, mowing the lawn and raking leaves — with residents who are unable to do physical work themselves, unable to afford the cost of a professional contractor on a regular basis or would only require assistance on an as-needed basis. The village is currently updating a TeenConnect list that will provide contact information for Deerfield teens, including name and phone number, days of availability, type of work willing to be performed, and an expected rate of pay. Residents interested in participating will be able to receive the list by mail or email, and will be responsible for contacting the teen to make scheduling and financial arrangements. Applications are available on the village’s website (www.deerfield.il.us) or by calling Management Analyst David Fitzgerald-Sullivan at 847-719-7400. Applications for teens under age 18 require a parent or legal guardian’s signature.

Buffalo Grove

Village earns high marks from national ranking website

The village reported that Buffalo Grove recently received recognition in several categories from national neighborhood website Niche.com. The website publishes yearly rankings within individual states, and also ranks states against one another. Factors that influence ratings include housing trends, diversity, quality of schools, crime rate, cost of living, access to family members, employment statistics and overall quality of life. Buffalo Grove was ranked the 2nd Best Place to Live in Illinois and the 6th Best Place to Live in the nation, in addition to a variety of other categories that landed the village in the top 10 — both in the state and across the United States. These categories included Best Place to Buy a House in Illinois (No. 2) and Best Place to Raise a Family (No. 4). National rankings for Buffalo Grove included Best Public Schools in America (No. 5). For more information, call 847-459-2500 or visit www.vbg.org.

Barrington

Village sets table for major intersection project 

The Village of Barrington Board of Trustees recently approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Barrington Area Library to begin the re-routing of Lake Zurich Road to intersect Route 14 (Northwest Highway) at the existing traffic signal at Berry Road. Citing longtime traffic concerns, the Village Board and staff have been working with various agencies on plans to re-route the road as a part of major infrastructure improvements in the village. The current Lake Zurich Road/Route 14 intersection sits on a curve with no traffic signal, and its history includes 14 accidents occurring in a recent 18-month period. The agreement provides that in order to finalize land acquisition and begin construction on the project, the village would purchase a parcel of land from the Barrington Area Library at the library’s appraised price, subject to Illinois Department of Transportation concurrence. Currently, the re-routing project is fully funded and is moving forward. The Barrington Park District has provided its initial approval, and six of seven land acquisitions have been completed on the west side of Route 14 at Berry Road. The library is currently considering the proposal, and the village is awaiting its commitment. For more information, call 847-304-3400 or visit www.barrington-il.gov.

Mundelein

Village to host meeting on Townline Road corridor 

The village announced that it will host a Community Roundtable Discussion concerning revitalization strategies for the Townline Road/Route 60 corridor from 5:30-6:30 p.m. April 3 at the Medline Offices, 1 Medline Place. The Townline Road corridor runs between Butterfield Road and Route 60/83, and includes the mostly vacant Oak Creek Plaza. The 33-acre plaza site will be a major focus of the study area, as it poses it a key redevelopment opportunity that can impact the region for decades to come. To this end, the village has engaged the Urban Land Institute Chicago District Council (ULI Chicago) to organize a Technical Assistance Panel, comprised of a diverse set of real estate experts, including developers, brokers and engineers. The Community Roundtable Discussion will consist of small group tables facilitated by a ULI panelist who will engage community members for their thoughts and ideas about the study area. Residents and community leaders alike are encouraged to attend and provide feedback. No pre-registration is required. For more information, call 847-949-3282 or visit www.mundelein.org.

–Lake County News Briefs–