Elgin candidates debate Route 20 revamp

A tabled discussion item from an Elgin City Council meeting at the end of January has worked its way into election season for the 10 candidates running for three open seats. The idea to redesign the Route 20 bypass in Elgin and make it into an “urban highway” has residents split and candidates taking a stand.

An informal coalition of representatives from three neighborhood associations has endorsed Michael Curtin and Mike Robins for their early and vocal opposition to the proposal.

According to a media release prepared by Chuck Keysor of the Near West Neighborhood Association, “Mike Curtin and Mike Robins have been selected to represent the citizens of Elgin who are in favor of preserving (the) Route 20 bypass as a direct and unimpeded path for vehicular traffic.”

Neighbors of South East Elgin and South West Area Neighbors are also represented on the five-person committee.

Incumbent John Steffen is the only council candidate to fully support a redesign of Route 20 and the feasibility study the council initially tabled in January.

Steffen said the current proposal from the Illinois Department of Transportation — to upgrade parts of the bypass to decrease congestion — is sterile and automobile-driven and would further cut off north-south traffic.

“The traffic patterns for north and south have changed substantially since it was built,” Steffen said.

What’s more, Steffen said it may be substantially cheaper to completely redesign the roadway rather than continue with IDOT’s piecemeal improvements.

Challenger Shane Nowak joins Robins and incumbent Mike Warren in opposing the feasibility study for the sheer cost of it: $97,715.

But Warren, like challenger Anna Moeller, does see some potential in the redesign 10 years out or more.

“Long-term, this could be a solution,” Moeller said. “But is it something that we need to do right now? I’m not convinced.”

Part of Curtin’s opposition comes from the expense of the study, but also from how vague the council and city staff have been in expectations for Route 20. Curtin is concerned some council members say it will not turn into a retail center while others expect that possibility.

“The city wants to spend $100,000 and they’re not telling us exactly what they want Route 20 to turn into,” Curtin said. “This is a disaster.”

Tom McCarthy, Toby Shaw and Manfred Czymmek are firmly opposed to the redesign itself. McCarthy said the point of the initial construction was to bypass the city so the road should keep its original purpose. Czymmek called the proposal a “mistake.” And Shaw, looking from a regional perspective, said dispersing traffic by adding more intersections would only strain other areas.

Tish Powell said she didn’t have enough information about the proposed redesign to make a decision about it, but said it would make sense to hold off on a study until IDOT completes its scheduled projects — changes to the McLean Boulevard intersection are planned for the coming year, regardless of Elgin’s consideration of the urban highway design.

The city council is expected to take up the question of the study sometime after the election.