No clear winner among 7 Elgin-O'Hare options

With seven options to chose from on improving access to O'Hare International Airport, it's not surprising a consensus was missing among residents attending a state forum on the issue Wednesday.

Illinois Department of Transportation planners unveiled alternatives for completion of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway and a western bypass around the airport at the meeting in Addison.

State engineers say the mega-project is needed to ease congestion and allow for better access to the busy airport.

"We want to improve both local and regional travel," IDOT Bureau Chief of Programming Peter Harmet said.

A decision on one of the seven proposals is expected this winter.

Options include building a ring road around O'Hare that links up with I-294 south of the airport near the towns of Bensenville, Schiller Park and Franklin Park.

Variations include widening segments of York Road and Route 83 or converting them into expressway.

However, six of seven of the plans would extend the Elgin-O'Hare along Thorndale into the airport.

Already Bensenville leaders have objected to taking any property to complete the project, and residents at the open house echoed their concerns.

"Bensenville has taken enough of a hit already," said homeowner Joe Pisano. The city of Chicago is fighting Bensenville over condemning about 600 homes and businesses to make way for O'Hare modernization and expansion.

Village resident Doreen Rafacz didn't like any of the IDOT plans. She said it's important the state and village work together, but she had her doubts about the process and what it would mean.

"I've been to a lot of meetings, but what they say is not what we get. People like it here," Rafacz said. "We like our Mayberry."

Des Plaines resident Bob Crocker wants a better transportation system in the region. But considering all the options, he said, "I see ones that make me happy and others that would make other people unhappy."

Meanwhile, Elk Grove Village resident Mitch Matuga wanted proposals that include ways of getting around without cars. "You never see plans for public transportation," he said.

Harmet agreed that "we're not able to build our way out of congestion," and explained that public transit and bicycle paths will be part of the project.

In a recent impact study, engineers calculated that as few as five homes or as many as 111 homes would need to be demolished to make way for the new roads, depending what option is used. Commercial and industrial businesses also would be affected, with one plan affecting 71 properties.

The area IDOT is studying is bounded by I-90, I-290 and the Tri-State Tollway. It's about 50 square miles and includes 24 communities and spans Cook and DuPage counties.

Already preliminary engineering is costing about $5.4 million for the project. Harmet estimated that the final product could be paid for with a mixture of public and private funds, including establishing tolls along new roads.

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