Elgin roundabout plan not popular with everyone

Elgin is moving ahead with plans to reconstruct the intersection of Dundee Avenue and Summit Street into a roundabout, but some city council members who supported moving the project along expressed reservations after hearing from residents.

The council voted 6-1 Wednesday to approve an agreement with the state Department of Transportation that provides the city with a $617,000 federal grant to help pay for property acquisitions in the area. That process has been ongoing since late 2009, but only one of seven properties, or portions of properties, has been acquired.

Councilman Dave Kaptain, who is running for mayor, said he hasn't heard any positive feedback from the community about the proposed intersection. During the council's committee of the whole meeting, he said he had some concerns about the land acquisitions, but didn't elaborate, since council members were discussing the issue during a private executive session after the meeting.

Kaptain later said in an interview that Corporation Counsel Bill Cogley sent a memo to council members this week addressing his questions.

Councilman Richard Dunne also said he was concerned about the project because it hasn't received support among constituents he's talked with. But Kaptain and Dunne both voted to approve the agreement for federal funds since money has already gone into the project, which was approved by a previous council.

However, Councilman John Prigge was the lone vote in opposition, calling the roundabout “a real bad thing.” He cited police department statistics that showed 14 other intersections to be more dangerous than Dundee and Summit. He also said he was concerned about a potential increase in traffic on nearby side streets, which pass by Larsen Middle School and a fire station.

“I'm uncomfortable with it,” he said.

Mayor Ed Schock said he supports the roundabout project because it would slow down traffic, leading to fewer serious accidents, and because no traffic signals are required, that's one less cost the city would have to incur.

Councilman Mike Warren called the roundabout “the lesser of two evils.” An earlier plan would have widened streets that would have hurt nearby businesses, he said.

“Even if it's not the most popular option, it's the best option for those businesses affected in that area,” Warren said.

Councilman Robert Gilliam said a local business owner told him he would have to shut down if the earlier proposal went forward.

Councilman John Steffen said he's driven in other countries and found the roundabouts to be “perfectly manageable.”

Schock agreed, saying: “We can adapt to them, too, if the rest of the world can.”