Lake County intersection plans face scrutiny
Just the thought of a major road improvement at an intersection surrounded by a forest preserve has mobilized residents near Wauconda, but Lake County transportation officials say there's a long way to go before any decisions are made.
Construction of any change at Fairfield Road and Route 176 wouldn't begin for a minimum of three years even under the best of circumstances, members of the Lake County Forest Preserve District's planning and restoration committee were told Tuesday.
"We're at the very beginning of this extremely long process," said commissioner Carol Calabresa, who chairs the committee. "There will be multiple opportunities for the public to register their concerns."
County transportation officials outlined the possibilities for the intersection, which is bordered on all four sides by Lakewood Forest Preserve, as a courtesy preview of a public information meeting Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m., at Wauconda High School, 555 N. Main St.
Three possibilities for the intersection, targeted as a priority to improve traffic flow, are being considered at this point: widening the intersection to two through and left- and right-turn lanes in every direction; raising Fairfield as an overpass over Route 176; and, building a multilane roundabout.
Depending on which plan is selected, the county would need to acquire 3 to 9 acres of its largest forest preserve.
"This is an issue people are passionate about," said Loraine Ray, a Fremont Township resident whose family sold farm land a few years ago to expand Lakewood.
She started a Web site, protectlakewood.com, to air concerns about the improvement and has gathered 700 signatures in a few weeks.
Residents and nature lovers are skeptical that any of those improvements would make a difference, and contend less intrusive measures could be taken to ease traffic congestion.
"This isn't a NIMBY (not in my back yard) thing," she told the committee. "Once you urbanize an intersection like this, you can't unurbanize it," Transportation officials emphasized it's early in the process and the type of road improvement could change. A key consideration will be how any road project interacts with major hiking, biking and equestrian trails at and near the intersection.
"Whatever is chosen here, I know there will be a very detailed analysis," said Tom Hahn, the forest district's executive director.
After Thursday's information session, the public will have until March 12 to comment. A 15-to 20-person "stakeholder" group then will be formed and a preferred alternative selected.
"We aren't pushing a favorite. We want to get input on all of them," said Paula Trigg, director of planning and programming for the Lake County Division of Transportation.
Fairfield/Route 176 is among four proposed road projects vying for a share of county "challenge" money. The others are: Rollins Road/Route 83; Fairfield Road/Route 134; and, Washington Street from Lake Street to Hainesville Road.