Aurora Beacon-News
August 27, 2012

By Linda Girardi

For 11 years opponents of the proposed Prairie Parkway gathered at the 1836 Davis farm for an annual picnic to strengthen their fight against the $1 billion federal project.

On Sunday, the citizens group had reason to kick back their heels.

“Every year at the end of the picnic I would say we will be back next year until we can celebrate — we are celebrating,” said Jan Strasma of Citizens Against the Sprawlway. “...we feel confident the Prairie Parkway is dead.”

About 50 people gathered at the farm of Marvel Davis in Big Rock for the annual “Stop the Beltway” picnic on news that the Federal Highway Administration had withdrawn its support of the 37-mile highway project that would have cut through thousands of acres of farmland.

The same bluegrass quartet performed in the Great Depression-era barn as in past years and a buffet was served in the Civil War era barn, but this year the conversation was about as jovial as the music.

The FHA last week rescinded a 2008 record of decision that supported a route of the Prairie Parkway as the “selected alternative.”

The project would have run from Interstate 88 near Kaneville in Kane County, swing east near Yorkville in Kendall County and connect with Interstate 80 near Minooka in Grundy County.

Strasma said they don’t have to worry in the foreseeable future because the money, approval and environmental statement for the project are gone, but they will still collect signatures for petitions to have the state erase the corridor that is recorded and places restrictions on property owners.

“It’s our hope the state will withdraw that as well,” he said.

Strasma and others said the money earmarked for the project will go toward projects that “really matter” such as the widening of Route 47 to four lanes for a 12-mile span from Yorkville’s southern end to I-80.

The group’s members said they were up against major opposition. Former U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was a staunch supporter of the Prairie Parkway and secured $207 million in federal transportation funds to begin the process.

“People were worried — this was a juggernaut. As long as the money was on the table, we were fearful the project would at least get a foot in the door,” Strasma said.

The citizens said they believe there was a gradual erosion of support and willingness of the state and other agencies to build a project that would have taken prime farmland and environmentally impacted Big Rock Creek.

Representatives of local environmental groups said although battling the Prairie Parkway became a way of life over those years, they really didn’t think they would succeed considering what they were up against.

“It is a great victory for clean water and air,” said Fran Caffee of The Valley of the Fox Group of the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Davis, 85, who was considered the “heart and soul” of the movement, said “the news took a day or so to set in.”

The project would have dissected through Davis’ property. The farm has been in the family for five generations and steps have been taken to protect the land as a farm in perpetuity.

“When we waged opposition to the road, we always believed we were on the right side,” Davis said. Davis said they believed the highway wasn’t needed to run through “the best farmland in the world.”

“We were sure when people got involved, we had a chance of turning it around,” Davis said.