ALGONQUIN – The Village Board has approved a handful of agreements that pave the way for construction of the Illinois Route 31 Western Bypass, the village said in a news release.

The agreements provide the land the Illinois Department of Transportation needs to build the four-lane, divided roadway west of downtown Algonquin. 

“The Western Bypass is a significant addition to Algonquin’s transportation network and will greatly enhance mobility through the village and McHenry County,” Village President John Schmitt said in a news release. “It’s been a long, tireless effort by many parties, but we now have a solution which will reduce traffic congestion, improve flow and allow downtown to become a more pedestrian-friendly commercial district.”