Elevated expressway not for Grayslake
On Dec. 10, the Illinois Route 120 Corridor Planning Council will be voting on the preferred road character of the Route 120 bypass through Grayslake. There are four alternatives being considered, one of which is a six-lane elevated expressway. Imagine how different Grayslake would look with an expressway rising just south of 120, cresting at around 40 feet to cross over Route 137, and running through Almond Marsh. While I personally don't live adjacent to the proposed path of the bypass, I strongly believe that whichever option is chosen will directly affect the overall character of Grayslake and the surrounding communities. A few years ago, the Liberty Prairie Foundation funded a study that presented the four-lane at-grade boulevard concept, and demonstrated that this option, including an underpass under Route 137 and the railroad tracks, will dramatically reduce the traffic congestion and be considerably cheaper to build. This option is now on the table.
I urge the Illinois Route 120 Corridor Planning Council to select a four-lane at-grade boulevard as the only appropriate alternative. I am in favor of this alternate over others because it is:
Community friendly. It will handle projected traffic and connect to existing roads.
Business friendly. It provides additional access for future business development.
Environmentally friendly. It will have a lower design speed and narrower right-of-way to allow greater flexibility in alignment to avoid environmentally sensitive areas. An at-grade boulevard connected to other local roads will enhance the potential for future public transit and trails.
Cost effective. It is cheaper to build and can be built in phases.
Politically feasible. It is possible to build a local consensus to strongly support this alternative.
In particular, I strongly oppose a six-lane high speed expressway.
Lee Loebman
Grayslake