Site of gas giveaway, Rosemont braces for long lines and traffic Thursday

Rosemont police and local officials are bracing for long lines of cars and traffic tie-ups Thursday morning, when a local gas station will be among the 50 in Willie Wilson's fuel giveaway.

The Mobil station on the southwest corner of Higgins and River roads will offer free gas starting at 7 a.m. Thursday as part of the Chicago businessman's second gas giveaway in as many weeks.

The gas station - kitty-cornered from Rosemont's Monument Park waterfall - is the lone Northwest suburban location where Wilson has pledged to provide up to $50 in free fuel per vehicle. Other nearby spots include Schiller Park, River Grove and Harwood Heights.

Wilson announced the second promotion - across 50 gas stations in Chicago and the Cook County suburbs, and capped at $1 million - after his initial $200,000 giveaway at 10 Chicago stations last Thursday.

The gas giveaways by Wilson, a former Chicago mayoral and U.S. Senate candidate, come amid the highest gas prices in more than a decade. The promotion created traffic jams across the city last Thursday morning, which has police in Rosemont making preparations for a similar scene.

"Our public safety (department) guys are ready, and we'll have people out there because we see what this has caused in other areas. And those were one or two days' (notice), and this has been out there all week," said Mayor Brad Stephens. "(People) might be out there at midnight for all I know."

Stephens said officers are working with gas station employees to help facilitate the event. Police likely will stage their operations from the neighboring Giordano's parking lot on Higgins.

Wilson has invited elected officials, clergy and the press to join volunteers in helping pump gas, but Stephens - who doubles as the state representative for the area - said he will still be down in Springfield.