Carpentersville plans Longmeadow corridor

Carpentersville trustees on Tuesday approved an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to develop a plan for the proposed Longmeadow Parkway corridor.

In December, the village received a $135,000 Illinois Tomorrow Plan grant from the state's transportation body to complete the study.

The agreement signed Tuesday authorizes the project to proceed, village Community Development Director Cindy McCammack said in a report to board members.

"The purpose of this project is to develop a long-range land use plan to protect the performance of the new regional corridor between routes 25 and 31," McCammack said. "The plan will provide guidance for development patterns, promoting the corridor's limited access and economic development opportunities."

Focus will be given to improve local street connectivity, mitigate impacts of the corridor on surrounding established neighborhoods, and provide appropriate site design for commercial conveniences, McCammack said.

It will also emphasize protection of pristine open spaces and promote environmental and bicycle/pedestrian features.

Although there are no firm plans to construct the corridor, which is commonly referred to as the Bolz Road Bridge, Village Manager Craig Anderson said it is essential for the village to plan ahead.

"This plan will tell us what we should be looking at in respect to land uses along the proposed parkway," Anderson said.

"We want to make sure we are putting the right uses next to it. It doesn't make sense to put a lot of commercial use next to it when you can't get to it."