Rolling Meadows residents protest Meacham Road plan
Four Rolling Meadows residents criticized the proposal to widen a tree-lined stretch of Meacham Road to three lanes Tuesday night, and a few also attacked the survey used to get opinions on the project from people in the area.
Speaking at a city council meeting, Becky Booth credited “scare tactics and leading questions” for the fact that 65 percent of the 148 respondents living within 500 feet of the stretch of road between Emerson Avenue and Algonquin Road said they support widening the road by one lane.
That question on the survey read: “The current proposal for improvements call for a 3 lane pavement, with one lane in each direction and a center lane for left turns. Would you support this proposal?”
Tom Vincent said there was no “zero option” in the survey.
“For a year and a half residents have been warned by city officials that to oppose widening Meacham Road to three lanes is to virtually guarantee five lanes,” Booth said.
“Suppose I ask you, 'Shall I beat your dog for three minutes or five?'” she said. “Whatever conclusion came out of the recent Meacham Road survey is just as ridiculous as my example about beating your dog.”
The council will discuss the survey at its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 21. The results are part of the packet for the Tuesday's meeting and are available at ci.rolling-meadows.il.us.
The Illinois Department of Transportation proposes widening and improving the road, but then Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg would maintain it in the future, a common tactic IDOT is using throughout the suburbs.
Over the years people living near Meacham Road have strongly opposed changing the roadway.
Booth and other residents object to Rolling Meadows' paying to maintain the road that they said is used by outsiders and that will benefit Schaumburg.
“I don't live over there,” Dale Engelking said. “I'd just like to know what economic benefit it would give Rolling Meadows to take on the responsibility to own and maintain the road.”
Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and Palatine Township have jurisdiction over the land along this piece of Meacham/Plum Grove Road.