No true 'consensus' on Route 53 extension

On Thursday, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning will host a public comment period on the proposed Route 53/120 project. Unfortunately, for many citizens and their elected officials, it amounts to another after-the-fact opportunity to express their opinions and discuss alternative solutions in a process that so far has lacked inclusiveness.

Proponents of the extension, including certain elected Lake County Board officials, would have the citizens of Lake County believe that the project is now in the hands of nonpartisan and independent groups like the Illinois Tollway Authority and CMAP, as if there were some sort of "traffic relief czar" who wisely concluded that the proposed extension was the only solution available.

They further point to the 2012 Blue Ribbon Advisory Council report as evidence, even going so far as to tout the report as a "consensus" agreement. What is not mentioned is that elected representatives from five communities (Kildeer, Long Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Mundelein, and Round Lake) were all excluded from participating in that original BRAC report. Why?

Meanwhile, elected officials from those same five municipalities have been fending off attempts by the Lake County Board to create a Corridor Planning Council that would seize control over implementation of the proposed extension in their local communities.

As more and more citizens from all areas of Lake County learn about sensible alternatives to this proposal which are less costly, have a lower and more equitable tax burden, are less destructive to the environment, and most importantly, provide real solutions to traffic congestion (rather than touting the economic benefits to certain special interests), the more they oppose the proposal and wonder aloud why these alternatives were not openly and seriously debated from the onset.

John Freihammer

Hawthorn Woods