Morris Daily Herald
Nov. 21, 2006
One round of public comment remains before announcement
By Jo Ann Hustis
Herald Reporter
YORKVILLE - State officials ex-pect to announce in February the
preferred alternative for the proposed Prairie Parkway, a 30-mile
corridor linking Interstates 88 and 80 in Kane and Grundy counties.
The selection will culminate four years of engineering studies and
public hearings in the design phase, Rick Powell, studies and plans
engineer with the Illinois Department of Transportation's District 3 in
Ottawa, noted Monday, during a press conference at the historic
courthouse.
Powell said the parkway is unprecedented in the state's highway
planning system by the amount of public involvement taking place.
"Public opinion is really the only thing left after four years of
preparing the proposal. This is our final big decision point, and
public comment will help a lot," he said.
"If the preponderance of public opinion favors one route over the other, that will help us make our decision."
The two finalists for the south end of the parkway - chosen from the
more than 160 alternatives suggested at the start of the four-year
program - are the B2 route connecting with I-80 in Nettle Creek
Township, and the B5 route tying into the interstate three miles west
of Minooka in Aux Sable Township, both in Grundy County.
Two more public hearings will be conducted next month to gather comment on the finalists.
One hearing will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7, at White
Oak Elementary School, 2001 DuPont Road, Morris. A formal presentation
by IDOT officials will be at 6:30 p.m.
The other is at the Yorkville Intermediate School, 103 Schoolhouse Road, Yorkville, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
The period for public comment ends on Jan. 16 of next year.
The final alternative is expected to be announced soon after the close of the public comment period, or about mid-February.
The B2 route is generally a straight line north and south between the
two interstates, with the south end four miles west of Illinois 47.
The B2 alternative is the shorter connection with the two interstates.
This alternative also serves the regional travel demand, Powell said.
The B5 option is longer in miles, and more direct to the heavier population areas.
This alternative is similar to B2 except for the highway turning east
south of Caton Farm Road to connect with I-80 near Minooka.
"Alternative B5 is longer, but provides a more-direct connection to the
high growth areas of Will County, follows the boundaries of planned
development areas, and avoids segmentation of agricultural areas in
south Kendall County," he noted.
Whichever of the two alternatives is selected, 22 homes - nine of them on Illinois 47 - will be relocated, Powell said.
The B2 alternate will require purchase of 2,544 acres for new
right-of-way and the like. A total of 2,645 acres for new right-of-way
must be purchased for the B5 alternate.
Powell said the environmental impact for each alternate is comparable on a per-mile basis.
"Neither one is more expensive," he said.
The cost per mile is also relatively equal, with the B5 option having a greater cost because it is a few miles longer.
Option B2 is better at improving regional mobility, and option B5 is better at providing improved access to regional jobs.
The B5 option is also closer to the protected corridor for the parkway.
At the same time, the protected corridor designation is being moved off
some property, such as that along the Fox River, and will no longer
affect those property owners.
Removal of the designation will require a public hearing before action can be taken.
Powell said the option of taking no action is still an alternative under federal law.
"No build always remains an option, but it's very unlikely we will
recommend it, because of future population projections," he said.
Powell also pointed out the 90-minute travel time currently on Illinois
47 between the two interstates. A 12-mile stretch of Illinois 47 will
be widened in the Yorkville area north, he said.
Since the public hearings in May 2005, IDOT has received four
resolutions and four letters of support from various area governmental
entities for the B5 option, with the widening of Illinois 47.
"We've not received any resolutions from public bodies recommending the B2 alternative," Powell said.
The Prairie Parkway is an estimated $41 billion proposal.
Of that, $28 million has been spent in state and federal funding on
Phase 1, the engineering studies, with $2.7 million still available.
"The only funding we have available today," Powell said. "We have about one-fifth of the funding we need."
The amount is enough to finish engineering studies and build about a
12-mile portion of the freeway, from Illinois 71 at Yorkville to
Illinois 30 at Big Rock and Sugar Grove.
Powell said freeways in Illinois are usually built in sections, and the Prairie Parkway is no different.
He also said it is impossible to speculate as to when, where, or how long before the proposal is finished.
"We're designing the whole thing, and letting the money go as far as it goes," Powell noted.
Ed Leonard, engineer with Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade & Douglas,
Chicago, and Jason Poppen, executive vice president with Smith
Engineering Consultants, Yorkville, also participated.