Elburn’s Anderson Road extension coming into focus
The extension of Anderson Road in Elburn — from Route 38 to Keslinger Road — moved forward this week when the Kane County Board’s Transportation Committee recommended buying rights of way for the road.
The committee put the matter on the agenda for the board’s executive committee. From there it would move to the full county board.
Details of the proposed purchase, including the price and the landowner’s name, were not revealed Tuesday. Transportation Department Director Carl Schoedel said county lawyers say the county does not have to reveal such information yet since the negotiation is considered “ongoing” and not complete. The information will be included in the agenda packet posted at least 48 hours in advance of the June 6 executive committee meeting.
Tuesday’s resolutions referred to the parcels by county section and parcel numbers. Committee Chairman Cathy Hurlbut said the parcels are owned by a corporation and several trusts. An annexation agreement for the area, which the Elburn village board had a hearing on Monday night, lists Covington Court Partnership and Elburn Station Land Co. LLC as owners.
Some Elburn officials have long wanted the Anderson Road extension, which would include a bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. They believe it will reduce traffic backups at the railroad crossing on Route 47 in downtown Elburn. Anderson will be designated a Class II truck route, and truck traffic will be instructed to use it instead of Route 47.
The Anderson Road extension is also key to the plan to build the Elburn Station residential and business development proposed by Shodeen Construction.
That development, which could bring 2,275 homes to Elburn, would straddle Anderson Road on both sides of the railroad tracks. The company owns the land needed for the 2-mile road extension and bridge.
Elburn has yet to vote on the preliminary plan or a pre-annexation agreement for Elburn Station. Earlier this year, Trustee William Grabarek said he felt Shodeen was holding the Anderson Road extension “hostage” to get the board to approve the development, and suggested the village or county should just take the land needed for the road through eminent domain.