Morris Daily Herald
June 24, 2005
Residents oppose Parkway routing along Pioneer Road
By Jo Ann Hustis
Herald Writer
Many residents in the Nettle Creek School area are unhappy about a proposed north-south traffic corridor in their
neighborhood.
“We are adamantly opposed to a highway coming down through our peaceful, serene, agricultural environment,” one
resident told Illinois Department of Transport-ation spokesman Rich Powell during a citizens meeting Thursday evening
on the projected Prairie Parkway.
More than 100 residents of the area — a predominately farming community — attended the meeting. The goal was to
set up an action committee of homeowners opposed to the state locating the corridor in their area.
A telephone and e-mail list was to be developed during the session for further notices and updates on the issue.
The Prairie Parkway proposal is an approximately 36-mile length of highway designed to link Interstate 88 in Kane
County with Interstate 80 either in, or west of, Grundy County, depending on the location selected.
IDOT expects to narrow the 10 alternates now on the books to two or three finalists by late summer.
Sites being considered range from the WiKaDuKe trail east on I-80 to widening Illinois 47 through Kendall, Kane
and Grundy counties, plus several locations west of Morris, including Saratoga-Ashton Road, Scott School-Pioneer
Road and La Salle Road, which forms the boundary between Grundy and La Salle counties.
The alternates west of Morris were announced during public hearings in Morris and Sugar Grove in April, Powell
told the audience.
“The alternates in this area just came up in April. We expect to have the selections down to one, two or three
alternates by fall,” he said. “It could be a combination of highways. If more than one alternative is in the final
consideration, the others will be dropped and one single strategy will be selected by 2006.”
The original Prairie Parkway proposal is located in a protected corridor extending south from the Hinckley-Big
Rock area to three miles west of Minooka on Interstate 80. The corridor is protected by the state against further
land sales and development until after IDOT decides on the final location.
Although the state has purchased about 140 acres in two sites in the protected corridor, Powell said Thursday there
was no bearing on the selection process for the parkway.
Powell noted the Prairie Parkway is among House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s priority projects. Hastert, a Republican,
is from Yorkville. Congressman Jerry Weller, R-Morris, supports the Prairie Parkway proposal and the possible exit
from Interstate 80 onto Brisbin Road.
Cost is one of the several considerations in the selection process, as is the need for services, Powell added.
“You’ll end up with another Minooka coming in here,” a spectator said in reference to the traffic and population
growth that would follow siting the proposal in the Saratoga-Pioneer Road area. “Minooka is a nightmare right now.”
Powell said the Kendall County Board is currently working on a resolution that will probably recommend the parkway
be sited in the protected corridor.
“We’re waiting for responses from the Grundy and Kane county boards,” he said.
None of the spectators who spoke during the meeting was asked to identify himself or herself.
A woman said the land to be impacted by the Saratoga-Pioneer road location are either agricultural or residential,
while the route under consideration in the Channahon area east of Morris is zoned commercial.
“Most of us don’t like the idea of a corridor through here,” a man added.
Powell said IDOT does not know all the issues in any of the areas, including such historical factors as Centennial
Farms and planned developments. He urged residents to contact IDOT about these kinds of things of which the agency
should be aware during the planning process.
“An IDOT man drove down my drive and into my field without asking,” another spectator said. “They said they were
doing a water quality survey.”
“You have problems like that, let me know,” said Powell.
He said a lot of agricultural land in the area is eligible for Centennial Farm status, but the owners have not
applied for the designation. Centennial Farms are among the more than 60 environmental impacts IDOT is taking into
consideration in the siting study.
“Lines on the maps are just lines right now,” Powell said of IDOT’s illustrations of the 10 alternates. “Don’t
think anything on that map is set in stone right now because it isn’t.”
“I heard Grundy County promoted the Walker’s Corner” area for the corridor, a man said.
“I’m not aware of that,” Powell answered.
A woman asked why the Pioneer-Saratoga road proposals were more feasible than La Salle Road to the west.
“West of here would be less impact than on this area,” Powell said. “We’re not saying (it would be built) on this
particular spot. Building to the east of here and widening Illinois 47 with limited access would be another.”
“What route do you think they’ll pick?” asked a man.
“The further east we go, the better the travel performance in general,” Powell answered. “We’re trying to balance
the impacts with the benefits. The B-5 (protected corridor) alternative works very well right now. La Salle Road
would carry the traffic, but there would be lesser volume. It would be the least impact of all on the area.”
“Go the Minooka route now,” said a spectator.
“I acknowledge your comment,” said Powell. “All your comments make a lot of sense to us, and that’s what we like
to hear.”
Powell also urged the audience to contact their national, state and local elected officials regarding location
of the Prairie Parkway in their neighborhood.
“That’s our shot — elected officials,” a man said. “Send your letters and make your phone calls in the next 14
days.”
Powell said IDOT has received a letter from the city of Yorkville recommending the protected corridor for the parkway
location.
“We’re still accepting letters and phone calls,” he said, noting the deadline for them is Thursday, June 30.
Others complained IDOT was not keeping the public informed about the proposal, and information was coming to them
by word of mouth.
Powell said IDOT has held public meetings in Minooka, Yorkville, Sugar Grove and Mor-ris the past three years to
discuss the parkway.