News Reports about Prairie Parkway

Kane County Chronicle
August 8, 2007

Parkway alternate pitched

By KARTIKAY MEHROTRA

A coalition of 10 environmental, agricultural and public-interest groups have combined to state their case against the development of Prairie Parkway.

The organization 47+ has called for the Illinois Department of Transportation to reconsider its plans for the controversial highway linking Interstates 88 and 80.

The group seeks state and local support for a plan to use money earmarked for the parkway to renovate existing north-south roadways instead.

“We see that the priority should be to improve the existing highway network instead of building the whole new Prairie Parkway,” said Jan Strasma of Citizens Against the Sprawlway, one of the 10 groups composing 47+.

“We hope to get them to broaden their thinking by looking at the environmental, agricultural and, ultimately, growth impacts of Prairie Parkway, and get them to tap into some of the federal dollars preserved for a north-south connector.”

IDOT has received $207 million in federal funds, of which $157 million have been earmarked for a north-south roadway.

IDOT acknowledges that Route 47 – which sits 31⁄2 miles east of the proposed Prairie Parkway – is an obvious connector, said state Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora.

“I think their efforts are serving our area’s immediate needs, which is a good thing because people are complaining about what is going on with our current roads,” Lauzen said.

Although 47+ appears to have earned some support at the state level, IDOT has yet to respond to the organization’s proposal. And garnering local support could be difficult.

“[Route] 47 is an IDOT issue, and [Hastert] was able to get federal funding for the outer belt. He’s trying to plan ahead,” Sugar Grove Village President Sean Michels said. “But if we take money today and spend it on things that should have been taken care of by the state, we’re just passing on the buck to someone else and not planning for the future.”

Michels agrees that Route 47 needs attention to accommodate growing traffic on the roadway. However, more people will need the traffic relief that Prairie Parkway will provide in the future.

“Where are you going to find $207 million for the road in the future if you spend it now?” Michels asked.

On Tuesday, 47+ submitted a letter to IDOT, elaborating on their plan and emphasizing the need for money on local roads rather than a new highway.

“The real question we’re facing right now is, ‘What is the priority?’ ” Lauzen said. “I hope that we’ll do the immediate need rather than the important but future need.”