Politicians providing fiction, not fact on Longmeadow
Algonquin Village President John Schmitt has gone to great lengths to put a positive spin on the Longmeadow highway and bridge project.
This four-lane 50 mph highway would slice through quiet neighborhoods, near elementary and middle schools. It would split subdivisions where children play and cross Longmeadow in route to school.
Quoted in the Daily Herald, Schmitt said, "It's going to be an enhancement of the area. This is going to be positive for their property values. And it's going to be positive for their communities."
Maybe Schmitt recalls how thrilled he was about a similar road planned near his former Algonquin home. The Chicago Tribune quotes him in 1990 complaining he wasn't warned of the northern bypass when he bought his home.
"I was told that the whole project was a dead issue," Schmitt said in the report. "Nobody told me I was taking that kind of chance."
Schmitt's complaints are identical to those made recently by residents who live along Longmeadow. He calls these residents shortsighted.
In 1995, then-trustee Schmitt voted to remove the northern bypass from the Village of Algonquin's comprehensive plan.
"They will have a major highway within 10 feet of their back yards. It will completely ruin the financials for all the homes. It will drastically affect that entire area negatively," he said.
Why isn't the village of Algonquin so sympathetic toward and protective of homeowners near Longmeadow? Why did the village issue permits for houses located about 59 feet from the roadway?
Enhancements, Mr. Schmitt? Would that be Kane County Department of Transportaion's design for the largest class of semi-trucks through a residential neighborhood? Would it be "freight movement," which is a key objective of the road, according to KDOT and the Illinois Department of Transportation?
How does Longmeadow "enhance" safety for children walking to school? Will our property values go up along with the noise level, which will exceed 65 decibels according to KDOT studies? Is safety for homeowners one of those "enhancements"?
Asked about guard rails, KDOT officials replied that guard rails were dangerous to drivers. Hello? Are residents and their property fair game?
Are vehicle emissions considered good for property values? According to the American Lung Association "residents living 0.2 miles to 0.3 miles from a highway have a risk of asthma attacks in children, and may experience a wide range of other effects.
State Sen. Karen McConnaughey says in the Daily Herald, "I don't think anybody believes that a project of this nature will be a failure ..."
If she's so sure, why didn't the county propose revenue bonds to pay for the project, instead of general obligation alternate bonds? Because the latter place liability for financial failure on taxpayers, that's why,
Why is Kane County seemingly deaf to public opinion? Longmeadow/Bolz Road was voted down in two 1990s advisory referendums. County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen promised a new referendum while running for office, but backed down after being elected.
Meanwhile, we're asked to trust Illinois politicians. The Longmeadow project is being sold as a cure for traffic woes. That's fiction, according to KDOT's own traffic studies.
A clue to Longmeadow's true purpose is in Algonquin's response to public comments: "Studies show that businesses are anticipated to benefit due to better access to customers."
Bingo. A $142 million taxpayer-subsidized driveway to Algonquin's Randall Road merchants.
Corporate welfare? It doesn't matter whether it's federal or state money, motor fuel taxes or bonds. It all comes from taxpayers. Illinois is $214 billion in debt but continues to waste money on projects like Longmeadow.
The politicians truly do not have our best interests in mind.
Laura Brehmer, of Algonquin, is a community leader and board president of the Willoughby Farms Master Association.