McHenry County Board hopefuls debate roads

Transportation is a perennial issue in McHenry County Board elections, and this year is no exception.

Nearly all of the eight Republicans seeking election in Districts 3 and 5 said transportation is among the top issues facing the county in 2010 and key to the area's economic growth.

But whereas current and former board members pointed to the road fixes they pushed while in office, challengers said the county could do a better job of addressing issues like traffic lights and speed limits on rural roads.

Five candidates are seeking two 4-year terms in District 3, while three hopefuls are vying for two 4-year seats in District 5. They will only actually serve two years because of redistricting in 2012.

In a Daily Herald endorsement interview, board critic and District 5 challenger David Frederick of Woodstock lashed out at the county for not posting and enforcing what he believes are reasonable speed limits on country roads.

"Only the county board can post safe and reasonable speed limits, and they have done nothing for the past 10 years while 45 more teenagers have been killed," Frederick wrote in a candidate questionnaire.

But former board member Nick Provenzano, who is seeking to recapture a District 3 seat that he lost in 2008, said the county must conduct a traffic study before posting new limits.

"I'm all for doing a traffic study ... and determining a reasonable speed for (rural roads)," said Provenzano, of McHenry. "But to just arbitrarily break the state statutes and put signs up I think is ridiculous."

District 3 challenger Craig Steagall, however, suggested the county board act on its own if the Illinois Department of Transportation is reluctant to address the issue.

"I'm not promoting civil disobedience, but if it's in the taxpayer's interest, let's cause a little bit of a dust-up and ... get out there and get involved in it," the Crystal Lake resident said.

District 3 incumbent Barbara Wheeler, also a Crystal Lake resident, has asked the county board to review its speed limit policy.

"I am in agreement that in certain areas, common sense needs to take over," Wheeler said this week. "We can tweak the policy so it's not so cumbersome for the county board to submit a change for speed limits."

Other candidates focused on the actual infrastructure. District 5 incumbent Tina Hill of Woodstock pointed to the county's efforts to secure federal stimulus dollars for road improvements.

"All of our manufacturing companies and big employers have said, 'We can't move our goods and services,'" Hill said. "We've got to improve our roads, and we have done a yeoman's job on that."

Former board Vice President John Jung, seeking to regain his seat in District 5, noted his support for the widening of Rakow Road and Route 47, the western Algonquin bypass and a full interchange at Route 47 and I-90.

"Without a well-developed transportation infrastructure, it will be difficult to attract businesses to McHenry County," Jung wrote in a candidate questionnaire.

District 3 challenger Karen Tynis of McHenry agreed but said the county can do a better job of planning ahead.

"It would be nice to see the county be more proactive in anticipating the amount of congestion and have upcoming projects satisfy our needs for more than a year or two," Tynis wrote in an e-mail.

District 3 challenger Veronica Armstrong said it took the county a decade to install a traffic signal at Edgewood and Walk-up roads, an intersection near her home that she complained about for years.

"How many studies does it take to show how many people are going to be killed or going to be hurt at that corner?" the Crystal Lake resident said.