Prairie Parkway en route to reality

Construction of a 5-mile segment of the controversial Prairie Parkway could start as soon as late 2009 following federal approvals for the project connecting I-80 and the Reagan Tollway.

State officials announced Monday the U.S. Department of Transportation gave its formal endorsement of the plan after years of study.

But only a portion of the funding for the new highway, estimated to cost nearly $1 billion, is secured. The parkway eventually will stretch 37 miles from Kaneville in Kane County to Minooka in Grundy County.

Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Milton Sees said the parkway will improve congestion, open up the region's economy and help workers get to jobs.

The announcement was "expected but it took a lot of work to get there," IDOT studies and planning engineer Rick Powell said.

Groups such as Citizens Against the Sprawlway have fought the plan, arguing it's a waste of money, will cause environmental harm and chew up valuable farmland.

Jan Strasma, chairman of the Citizens Against the Sprawlway group, said the cash would be better spent on other needs such as improving Route 47.

"We continue to think it's a bad idea," Strasma said. "A 5-mile section won't do much good for the rest of the region."

Five townships in Kane and Kendall counties have voted against the highway, Strasma added. "It will destroy over 2,000 acres of prime Illinois farmland and harm high-quality environmental areas."

Construction of the 5-mile stretch connecting Route 71 south of Yorkville and Route 34 near Plano could start in late 2009 or early 2010. Work includes building a bridge over the Fox River and widening 2 miles of Route 34.

In the Fox River Valley, crossing the river "is a major impediment to travel," Powell said, adding the Route 34 upgrades will help employers get to jobs faster along the corridor and ease traffic on Route 47 through Yorkville.

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert gave his considerable clout to the Prairie Parkway cause. The 14th District Republican came under fire when he and business partners sold 138 acres near Plano just 5 miles from the proposed highway to a housing developer for a huge profit in 2006.

Now the man who wants to succeed Hastert, Sugar Grove Republican Jim Oberweis, is also backing the construction.

"It's a forward-looking approach to the increasing challenge of traffic congestion," Oberweis spokesman Dave From said.

But 14th District U.S. Rep. Bill Foster opposes the project.

"The money announced (Monday) by the U.S. Department of Transportation had been appropriated for this purpose a long time ago," the Geneva Democrat said in an e-mail. "In the future, funding for new highway construction projects should be part of a comprehensive plan, and designed to provide the maximum benefit."

In contrast, Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay contended that "it's important to take the long view. While we may not need it today, generations down the road, it will be needed."

Construction of the entire parkway is anticipated to take years. In addition to work on the 37 miles of four-lane highway, workers will widen Route 47 from I-80 to Caton Farm Road.

So far about $38 million of state and federal funds have been spent on preliminary engineering and studies. Another $182 million is allocated to build the first 5 miles and bridges, buy up land necessary for the entire project and remedy the effects of building on wetlands.

But there's still a long way to go before the entire project is funded and IDOT officials acknowledged that since the bulk of the money will come from the federal government, a lot will depend on who's in power and whether the Prairie Parkway will be a priority.