Prairie Parkway

The Prairie Parkway is a transportation project by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to connect Interstate 80 to Interstate 88 in the outer western and southwestern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

History

Corridor protection

In July 2002 a planning corridor from I-80 near Minooka to I-88 near Elburn was protected from development in Grundy, Kendall and Kane counties under Illinois' Corridor Protection Act.

On November 28, 2007, IDOT announced a revised Corridor Protection Map was recorded that superseded the original map. The new Corridor Protection Map follows the B5 freeway corridor.

[http://www.dot.il.gov/dist3/public_hearing_notice6112007.pdf Corridor Protection Press Release]

Preliminary engineering study

A study was started in 2003 to examine transportation issues and possible solutions in roughly the same area as the corridor.

A report within the study indicated that, by the year 2030, there would be significant population growth in the study area and most of the area's roads would be congested as a result. Three counties in the study area - Will, Kendall and Kane - were among the 100 fastest growing counties in the U.S. from 2000 to 2004. As a possible solution to the area's traffic problems, a number of alternatives were considered, including widening existing roads, new freeways, traffic management techniques, and transit extensions.

In August 2005 President Bush signed the SAFETEA-LU federal transportation bill, which included $207 million for construction of the Prairie Parkway. The strongest supporter of that provision was House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who owned real estate in the area affected by the parkway. The SAFETEA-LU bill was supported by all 19 members of Illinois' congressional delegation as well as the state's U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Barack Obama.

In October 2005 IDOT presented three options for further study:

1. A "no build" alternative consisting of planned improvements to IL 47 and WiKaDuKe Trail independent of building a new Prairie Parkway freeway.

2. A "build" alternative consisting of the 34 mile B2 freeway corridor paralleling IL 47 to the west, connecting to I-88 northeast of Kaneville and connecting to I-80 west of Morris, plus upgrading a 12 mile segment of IL 47 from Caton Farm Road to Morris.

3. A "build" alternative consisting of the 37 mile B5 freeway corridor, connecting to I-88 northeast of Kaneville, diverting to the east crossing IL 47 south of Yorkville, and connecting to I-80 west of Minooka, plus upgrading a 12 mile segment of IL 47 from Caton Farm Road to Morris.

Environmental Impact Statement

In November 2006, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project was released.

In February 2008, the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project was released. The federal Record of Decision approving the project was signed on September 19, 2008.

Preferred alternative chosen

On June 1, 2007, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the selection of B5 as the final route, which will run about 4 miles west of IL 47 and then turn southeast and terminate on I-80 near Minooka, Illinois. IL 47 would also be widened from Caton Farm Road to I-80.

Currently appropriated funds will result in the construction of the segment from U.S. Route 30 to Illinois Route 71 beginning as early as 2009. ["Parkway Headed to Minooka", Joliet Herald News, page A1, 2007-06-02]

Future exits

* Interstate 80
* U.S. Route 52
* Illinois Route 71
* U.S. Route 34
* U.S. Route 30
* Interstate 88

References

External links

* [http://www.sprawlway.org/ Citizens Against the Sprawlway]
* [http://www.dot.il.gov/dist3/d3.html Corridor Protection Study]
* [http://www.prairie-parkway.com Prairie Parkway Preliminary Engineering Study]
* [http://dot.state.il.us/desenv/pp_deis/pp_deis.html Prairie Parkway Draft EIS]
* [http://www.dot.state.il.us/desenv/pp_feis/pp_feis.html Prairie Parkway Final EIS]
* [http://www.dot.il.gov/desenv/pp_feis/2008-09-19_PP-ROD.pdf Prairie Parkway Record of Decision]