Plans are moving ahead to expand John Deere Road in Moline, IL to six lanes from 16th Street to 70th Street and put an overpass in at 38th Street.
The Illinois DOT says the move should alleviate traffic in the busy area and decrease the number of accidents there, but a few properties stand in the way.
In a quiet little neighborhood behind busy John Deere Road sits the Guerrero household.
"My grandparents, my mom, and myself have lived on this particular street," Bali Guerrero says, "We've been down here forever."
Guerrero has lived in the neighborhood with her family since 2nd grade.
"I used to ride bicycles with my grandparents and walk our dogs," she says, "My best friend and I met here, so yeah it holds a lot of memories."
But this neighborhood is about to see big changes. Some of these houses will need to go to make way for a bigger road.
"They came and appraised the property, they've done soil samples, we're just waiting to hear back," Neighbor Dolores Chandler says.
Chandler lives across the street from the Guerreros with her son, daughter-in-law and mother. Her sister-in-law lives next door, and they've been there for 30 years, but both of her family's homes will have to go.
"I've lived here for a long time, I have a lot of memories, but what can you do?" she says.
Five homes on either side of John Deere Road are right in the middle of the whole expansion project, so the state says they need to move.
IDOT says there's no cost-effective way to avoid the homes so they plan to make offers on the properties affected by around Christmas and help pay for moving costs.
Many who live here agree something needs to be done about the traffic.
"It's almost impossible to get out of our neighborhood," Guerrero says.
"If it's for a road that will improve the community, that's OK with me," Chandler says, "As long as I have a home to go to."
For these families, the John Deere Road expansion project comes at the price of five homes and a lot of memories.
"We have good neighbors, I hope wherever I go, I get good neighbors like I have right now," Chandler says.
