IDOT engineer seeks uncommon common ground on projects

There were busloads of militant residents and 33,000 written comments, but Peter Harmet took it all in stride.

"Public input is very important; it makes this a strong process," the Illinois Department of Transportation engineer said last spring during a lively hearing on a western bypass around O'Hare International Airport.

The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway extension and western bypass. Expanding Route 53 into Lake County. Improving the Eisenhower Expressway. They're all projects Harmet's been involved with in his capacity as IDOT Bureau of Programming chief.

When rhetoric gets hot, Harmet, 47, manages to deflect ire without caving in. He used his powers of diplomacy to reach consensus on picking a route for the western bypass around O'Hare without civil war breaking out. Here's a look at what makes him tick.

Married with three children, Harmet grew up in Sycamore where his first job was detasseling corn for $2.35 an hour.

But he knew greener pastures lay ahead in engineering.

"I thought building and designing bridges was really cool," Harmet said. "I did a toothpick building exercise that further solidified my desire - it was a truss bridge."

Harmet was hired by IDOT in 1986 after completing his civil engineering degree. His first assignment was a bridge project in Belvidere.

"I was hooked from there on. "When you take classes in college, it's kind of abstract. Doing the hands-on thing, having survey equipment, laying out things and doing construction - for some people that's not magical but it really engaged me," he said.

Since the 1980s, technology that predicts how changes to roadways can affect congestion and traffic has revolutionized planning but the essentials are the same.

"You're trying to represent the interests of the (highway) users and the neighbors. Sometimes those interests are conflicting," Harmet said. "You try to find a balance between improving transportation and minimizing the environmental impact.

With Elk Grove Village and Bensenville opposing some of the possible locations for the western bypass, some early meetings were "a little tense," Harmet admits. Participants were given maps and markers to offer their engineering solutions by drawing preferred routes, which eased some of the friction, he believes.

"I think everyone was ready to try and solve a problem," Harmet said. The next challenge is paying for the project.

Although the Illinois tollway keeps cropping up as an entity that could adopt the project, Harmet believes there could be multiple funding sources both public and private.

His next thankless task is seeking common ground over improving the congested mess that's the Eisenhower between Hillside and east of Oak Park. Expanding the Eisenhower has always been a third rail in Oak Park but Harmet, who says everything's on the table, hopes dialogue can work miracles.

"The journey of a 1,000 miles starts with a first step," he said.

When he's not tied up in maps and design diagrams, the Bartlett resident enjoys hiking and reading history.

Asked if he wanted to dispel any engineer myths, Harmet said "it's not all nuts and bolts."

Flotsam and jetsambull; Snow kidding - O'Hare just won an award from the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives for its snow and ice beatdown this season.bull; A new law sponsored by state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Democrat from Lake Forest, to create an Illinois State Toll Highway Authority inspector general has cleared both houses and awaits the governor's signature.bull; Airplane lovers can enjoy vintage and World War II aircraft June 2- 6 at the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport, 3232 Pleasant St. Plus there's a flour bombing competition and who could resist that? For info, call the airport at (815) 748-2020.