What's next for Elgin-O'Hare, western bypass plan?
The devil's in the details for the Illinois Department of Transportation as it dives into the second phase of engineering for the east extension of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway and western bypass around the airport.
The Elgin-O'Hare doesn't reach either destination now. Instead, it runs between Itasca and Hanover Park, hence its nickname as the IHOP Expressway.
After years of debate over where to put the western bypass, the state finalized the location in late 2009 after reaching consensus among the towns next to the proposed highway.
The plan is to push the extension east along Thorndale Avenue into the airport where it will connect with a western bypass that hooks up with I-90 and Tri-State Tollway.
The bypass would head north to I-90 mostly along airport land and swing south through a portion of Franklin Park and link with the Tri-State Tollway.
For anyone living near the footprint of the future highways, the next design phase is significant as IDOT starts looking at where interchanges will be built.
These changes will ultimately affect how people commute, get to and from the airport, and economic development in the area.
Here are some of the ideas floated by IDOT at an open house last week.
• Improving the Roselle Road and Elgin-O'Hare interchange.
• Modify the Elgin-O'Hare and Meacham Road interchange.
• Build interchanges with the Elgin-O'Hare and Rohlwing Road, I-290, Park Boulevard, Prospect Avenue and Arlington Heights Road in the Itasca area.
• Construct interchanges with the Elgin-O'Hare and Route 83 and Wood Dale Road in Wood Dale.
• Build interchanges with the western bypass and Irving Park Road and at Franklin/Green Street in the Bensenville/Franklin Park area.
• Provide interchanges with access to and from the south at Touhy Avenue and the western bypass, and to and from the north near Devon Avenue in the Elk Grove Village area.
• Convert the half interchange at I-90 and Elmhurst Road near Des Plaines to a full one.
Another interesting development is that the plan would wipe out the Illinois tollway's Des Plaines Oasis. It's right in the path of the proposed connection between the western bypass and I-90.
I also noted that some alternatives involve access between York Road and the proposed western terminal at O'Hare, which is at the heart of a funding dispute between American and United Airlines and the Chicago Aviation Department.
This second stage also involves a detailed assessment of wetlands, threatened species and historic sites in the path of both highways.
Completion of the study should wrap up in spring of 2012, project manager Peter Harmet said.
And of course funding is a major question mark for the $3.6 billion plan. Building the project as a tollway is one option but IDOT said it's also looking at federal funding and public-private partnerships.
"We need to find a combination of design options and financing to deliver a whole project," Harmet said.
Interested in hearing more or making a comment? Check out the website elginohare-westbypass.org.
Flotsam and jetsam
• Improvements to the Farnsworth Avenue interchange at I-88 in Aurora are starting up, including adding an I-PASS lane at the eastbound entrance to accommodate all those bargain hunters leaving the nearby outlet mall.
• This September was proclaimed as Rescue Riders Appreciation Month in Campton Hills. The local organization that trains motorcyclists in offering emergency medical assistance to crash victims, was founded by Dean Akey of St. Charles, a veteran biker.
• With complaints coming in from Evanston riders about proposed changes to Metra's Union Pacific North Line, the agency is holding off on a revised schedule until the first week in October. The revamped schedule was supposed to have gone into effect Sunday. Metra has embarked on a major construction project along the line, which is causing delays and schedule shifts. For more information, check out the website Metrarail.com.