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Library tells Barrington to find another way to fix Northwest Highway intersection

Some Barrington Area Library board members say they share village officials' safety concerns about the Lake Zurich Road-Northwest Highway intersection, but potential remedies should not involve library property.

Library board members decided Monday night to end negotiations with the village over the sale of land to accommodate a Lake Zurich Road realignment.

Before the 4-2 vote, it was suggested the village look into permitting only right turns from westbound Lake Zurich Road to Northwest Highway, where a stop sign currently controls traffic.

The library board's decision halts talks to sell the library's 2.5-acre main parking lot for an appraised price approved by both sides.

That would allow the village to shift Lake Zurich Road south to meet a Berry Road traffic signal at the facility's entrance at Northwest Highway.

Barrington Village President Karen Darch said in a statement Tuesday that village officials are “very disappointed” with the vote, noting that the project has support from 13 other area government agencies.

She will report the vote to a regional transportation committee in May, which will lead to Barrington losing federal dollars to fund half the $5.9 million realignment.

“This project has had many fits and starts for more than 20 years, with numerous options and plans discussed and rejected in that time period, including a right-only option at the intersection,” Darch said.

Library board Trustee Carolyn Welch Clifford said Monday that allowing only right turns from Lake Zurich Road to Northwest Highway would be worthy of village study.

“I know that that's really hard to police,” Clifford said. “And short of putting a barrier up, you can't force people to follow the signage. And I get that.”

Barrington spokeswoman Patty Dowd Schmitz said a 2015 study that covered 1,470 vehicles entering the intersection in a one-day period, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., showed 73 percent attempted to travel left from Lake Zurich Road onto Route 14.

She said “significant enforcement issue” could result from a turn prohibition.

“In addition, if Lake Zurich Road becomes right-turn only, all the previous left-turning traffic is now forced onto Route 59, which is already at capacity,” she said.

Library board Trustee Barbara Pintozzi said she doesn't dispute that Lake Zurich Road is unsafe at Northwest Highway.

However, she added, the village should stop its “fixation” with using library land to bring the street to a traffic signal and find other solutions.

Pintozzi, who drew jeers from some in a crowd of roughly 120 spectators, also cited environmental concerns, including the possible loss of the small spring peeper frog from library wetlands.

“They inspire wonder in the people who hear them,” Pintozzi said of the frog, “and may encourage a child on the way into the library to check out a book, to learn about them, and maybe someday become a scientist who will save the spring peepers and the planet.”

Library trustees Carrie Carr, Denise Tenyer, Pintozzi and Clifford voted to end negotiations with Barrington.

Board President Donald Minner and Denise Devereux-Peters were against, with William Pizzi abstaining.

Barrington approved its end of the tentative deal in February.

Part of the project called for a new parking area with more spaces at no cost to the library, a new walkway along Northwest Highway and an entrance ending the need for patrons to walk through parking lot traffic to get inside.

Village statistics show 37 crashes at Lake Zurich Road at Northwest Highway from May 2013 to April 3.

Schmitz said the total covers just the immediate area.

State law prohibits the village from taking the library's property by eminent domain, she said.

Barrington approves its end of deal to shift Lake Zurich Road; library board up next

Lake Zurich Road realignment going before Barrington library board

Barrington library ends talks with village on Lake Zurich Road realignment

Barrington Area Library board members Monday night ended negotiations with the village over a proposed land sale that would clear the way for a realignment of Lake Zurich Road. Courtesy of village of Barrington
  Barrington Area Library board members have ended negotiations with the village to sell landed needed for a proposed realignment of Lake Zurich Road. Bob Susnjara/bsusnjara@dailyherald.com
  Barrington Area Library board Trustee Barbara Pintozzi, second from left, voiced environmental and other concerns before voting Monday night to end negotiations to sell the village land to realign Lake Zurich Road. Bob Susnjara/bsusnjara@dailyherald.com
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