Sugar Grove looking for funds to study toll ramps

Sugar Grove may ask neighboring communities to help fund a feasibility study on completing the Route 47 and I-88 interchange.

The Sugar Grove village board discussed how to fund the study, estimated at $196,000, at the Tuesday meeting.

Following the lead of Village President Sean Michels, the board agreed that the village should contribute $50,000 to the funding. Completion of the interchange is believed to be vital in attracting commercial development to the village.

The eastbound on ramp and westbound off ramp need to be completed, hindering commuters heading toward or returning from Chicago. There is currently a westbound on ramp and an eastbound off ramp. The feasibility study will present options on the construction.

Village Administrator Brent Eichelberger told the board that the development community has committed $68,000 for the study. This includes $50,000 from Crown Community Development, which has proposed a 790-acre mixed-use development on the northwest, northeast and southeast corners of Route 47 and I-88.

Still to be decided is where the other $78,000 in funding is coming from.

"I think we should explore our options and talk to Elburn and Kaneville, too," said Trustee Thomas Renk. "There are a lot of citizens from outside of Sugar Grove who have a long way to get to the expressway. Over the years, I've watched traffic increase tremendously on Deerpath Road with drivers heading to Orchard Road. It's a regional issue."

Michels suggested the village use funds from the 2007 1 percent increase in sales taxes.

"It's very important to complete the interchange in order to diversify our tax base," Michels said.

According to village officials, the 1 percentage point increase in the sales tax will bring in an additional $350,000 per year, based on current retail sales.

The village has committed $325,000 of this to the extension of Municipal Drive, leaving only $25,000. But the feasibility study will take at least six months, allowing the village to allocate the other $25,000 from 2008 revenue from the sales tax increase.