Barrington library ends talks with village on Lake Zurich Road realignment
Barrington Area Library board members Monday night ended negotiations with village government on a proposal to realign Lake Zurich Road so it meets a traffic signal at the facility's entrance.
Village officials cited safety concerns in wanting to move Lake Zurich Road south so it intersects with a traffic signal at Northwest Highway and Berry Road, the signalized entry to the library. A stop sign currently controls traffic for right and left turns from westbound Lake Zurich Road onto Northwest Highway, which village officials contend is dangerous.
However, a majority of library board members voiced safety concerns for about 1,000 daily visitors in voting 4-2, with one abstention, to end talks on the proposed Lake Zurich Road agreement with the village. Top library concerns remained a potential for increased difficulty entering and exiting the facility and creating a negative experience for patrons.
Under a tentative deal approved by the village board in February, Barrington would have bought the library's 2.5-acre parking lot for an appraised price approved by both sides, subject to agreement by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Part of the project called for a new parking area with more spaces at no cost to the library, a new walkway along Northwest Highway and an entrance ending the need for patrons to walk through parking lot traffic to get inside.
Library Trustee Carolyn Welch Clifford gave a lengthy presentation in explaining her decision to stop negotiating with Barrington government. She said there would not be a benefit to selling the 2.5 acres - an appreciating asset - while no longer having "a library in the park."
"It would be so easy to say 'yes.' So easy," Clifford said at the meeting that drew about 120 spectators. "But I know sometimes making the right decision is sometimes the hard decision. And I don't find any joy in having to make this decision."
Barrington Village President Karen Darch, trustees and other officials attended the meeting. The village presented statistics showing 37 crashes at Lake Zurich Road from May 2013 to April 3, which Clifford challenged in her presentation.
Proponents from village government said there was a sense of urgency to strike a deal with the library to secure expected federal money to fund 50 percent of the $5.9 million Lake Zurich Road shift, with the state and village chipping in 25 percent apiece.
"Personally, I'd like to say it's absolutely the right thing to do for the community," Darch told the library board. "Like any project, there are discussions around it. But this one, the time is right. We don't get the money to do a project (such as Lake Zurich Road) every day. This is a huge opportunity to solve a safety issue. And I would respectfully plead for your 'yes' vote."
Residents also had their say before the library board voted. Bob Rettberg said what Barrington proposed was a "bad program" that would create traffic danger for children going into the library.
However, longtime resident and Barrington Coaches Hall of Fame member Tim Dunn said the Lake Zurich Road shift is needed.
"I think, for safety's sake, I'd like to see this project go through," Dunn said. "There's going to be growing pains. It's going to be inconvenient for some people."
An independent appraisal done for the library placed a nearly $1.4 million value in the 2.5 acres, with the village's coming in at $1.2 million. As part of the separate appraisals, total compensation for the 2.5 acres including projected construction damage to other land was listed at $3.97 million by the library and $1.54 million by the village.
Roughly 2,250 daily vehicle trips occur on Lake Zurich Road near Northwest Highway, according to the most recent Illinois Department of Transportation count.