Route 53 extension is long overdue

Route 53 extension is long overdue

I have lived at the northern end of Arlington Heights for 32 years. Political favoritism has prevented the 50-plus year planned extension of Route 53 north to the Wisconsin border connecting at the end of Route 12 to that beautiful “free” 65 mph expressway leading to Lake Geneva, Wis., and beyond. The land was “designated” back then. Expressways, tollways, interstates crisscross our nation through wetlands, prairies, forests and mountains — and then you come to Illinois.

When watching our American cities being evacuated during catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina, I’ve told my family we would have to stay put. There is no way we could ever get out. All roads north are jam-packed every day — rush hours, RV’s, boats, vacationers, shoppers, truckers — and accidents. A 12-year-old girl was struck and killed on Route 12 trying to cross to a movie theater. How often are pedestrians killed trying to cross an expressway?

I have seen the effect when Route 53 ended at Dundee Road. Traffic from the north would congest our streets past three schools. Today Dundee Road runs smoothly because Route 53 was extended to Lake-Cook Road in 1989, 23 years ago!

Stop playing favoritism to the few and do what is right for the people and has been right for 50-plus years. The people want it, need it and have paid for it over and over again. Over the many years, how much taxpayer money have you spent on studies, meetings, reorganization studies and plans, and meetings regarding ways not to implement the original Route 53 extension?

Extend Route 53 to Route 22 and let the traffic be there for the next 40 years.

Sheila DeLattre

Arlington Heights