Franklin Park move could decide western bypass location

The design of the Elgin O'Hare Expressway and western bypass around the airport is solidifying even though a final decision is at least two months off.

The Illinois Department of Transportation today will release a comprehensive environmental impact report on four bypass alternatives under consideration.

But earlier this week, Franklin Park officials took a step that could decide the fate of the south end of the new highway and locate it in their community.

IDOT's plan is to extend the Elgin O'Hare from its terminus in Itasca east along Thorndale Avenue into O'Hare. That new expressway would connect with a western bypass around the airport that joins with I-90 to the north and I-294 to the south.

State planners must decide between building the south leg of the bypass west of County Line Road in Bensenville or east of the Union Pacific tracks in Franklin Park.

Bensenville leaders oppose locating the bypass in their town, saying it will destroy homes and businesses.

On Tuesday, Franklin Park trustees approved a resolution supporting putting the south end of the bypass in their town. Community Development Director Jeff Eder said the village is hopeful the project could attract new businesses to town. The village has tied its support to IDOT providing help with stormwater detention and rebuilding a road.

Such backing is a shift for state transportation engineers who have experienced vocal opposition from some communities such as Elk Grove Village to certain designs.

"Public comment has been very important part of this process," IDOT Bureau Chief of Programming Pete Harmet said. "It really seems to be coming together."

The other decision the state needs to make is for the north leg of the bypass. Options are for locating most of the roadway on O'Hare property or for building it on a widened York Road, which Bensenville opposes.

The state will conduct a public meeting to discuss its environmental impact statement Oct. 8. Details will be posted on the IDOT Web site elginohare-westbypass.org this afternoon.

The comment period runs until Oct. 26. A decision is expected possibly in November and no later than December. But although the location of the bypass will be nailed down, construction is months off as officials conduct engineering studies and figure out how to pay for it.

"Funding is uncertain at this point," Harmet said, although the state House passed a resolution in April encouraging the Illinois tollway to adopt the project.

Building the bypass on York Road is estimated to cost $2.8 billion while putting it on O'Hare property is pegged at $3.6 billion. Similarly, the York Road option could mean displacing up to 56 homes and businesses while the O'Hare plan could take out up to 60 properties.

But the project could create between 16,600 and 21,600 jobs during construction.