Anyone have info on IDOT's plans for extension of Elgin O'Hare? (Chicago: environment, mcmansion)

[emmi605]

I was wondering if anyone has any inside information on IDOT's REAL plans for the ElginOhare extension. I have been all over this site, (
elginohare-westbypass > Welcome)
but with all the rumors traveling around the concerned suburbs I have a hard time believing this is all in just a planning stage and no decisions have been made. Latest rumor has the new highway cutting through South Bensenville/Grand Avenue and connecting into I-294 at County Line Rd. Is this just someone's vivid imagination or a real possiblity? Any information anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

[gardener34]

Don't know about east, but I do know out far west here, I think they are planning to hook it up to Stearns road in bartlett. They have bought up a lot of property along dunham/route 25 / stearns road areas. Can't visualize it in my head what they are going to do though.

Eventually I think they are planning to take it across routes 25 and 31 to the stearns corridor bridge (currently being constructed) and it will cross the fox river... where from there? who knows?

[tcs1366]

As far as I know... there are not a lot of definite plans. I live right off of Thorndale and many rumors have been flying over the years... but I personally do not believe it will go South to Grand ave.

from what i have heard, they want to make a Western entrance to the airport, most likely thru or under York... Yes, i had heard UNDER.

So, i do believe it will be coming off of Thorndale straight to O'Hare .... but the last time we contacted someone at the State level [because we asked about purchasing some state property] he guy said something to the effect... "not until the Elgin Ohare is complete.... and that may not be in my lifetime." [in reference to releasing land]

So -- What ever the plans... i'm sure not much is within the 5 or even 10yr plan.

I'll do some snooping around... but i dont think I'll find much info.

[tcs1366]

I found this, dated 2/2004 where at the bottom of the article, there is a map of what it would look like ... the road, once it gets to York, would angle SE along the railroad tracks, and tie into Irving ... so i guess it would have gotten towards the northern edge of Bensenville.

O’Hare Expansion Plan Stymies Elgin-O’Hare Expy. Solution

Here's a Q&A dated 2006. no images, but talks of another Toll system.
Metropolitan Planning Council

found this on Wikipedia regarding the western end of it

The western extension of the Elgin-O'Hare has not yet been funded as of the 2008-2013 Highway Improvement Plan.

and for the east... a lot of chatter about some "O`Hare Ring Road" which it seems many of the villages are up in arms about.

I personally do not let it bother me much... since i'm sure i will be long gone from the area before the next phase of the project even takes off. and being where i live, it will certainly effect me if i was still living here.

Hope this helps... but if you did a google, there are a lot of links... but not much in "firm" plans.

[gardener34]

It will take a long time for them to procure all the properties they need to get it done anyway. Could be decades.

[ahava]

You can read all about it here: http://www.rtams.org/rtams/rtpProject?id=13 (broken link)

[tcs1366]

thanks for that link

I wonder with is going to happen to Thorndale and York in those areas... as, according to the maps, the new road is right on top of them.

seems the "departments" have no troubles going right thru protected wet lands, forest preserves and the sort....

[emmi605]

Yes, thanks for that link. That is the map that I have heard about. There is supposed to be hearings for the public soon. Notices will be on the ElginOhare-Westbypass website link on the starter thread. I guess time will tell, but it seems that if we are looking ahead to 2030 we should be concentrating on some alternative transportation moving away from more auto-congesting highways. I guess if they cared about the environment, the report wouldn't so "matter-of-factly" discuss the ruin of wetlands and endangered species.

[FormerStocktonian]

My personal thoughts is the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is already a dead deal. I mean, just look at all the contraversy the O'Hare Airport expansion plan has caused, let alone an expansion of a new expressway. If this project was even to be considered, it would have been done by now. Just look at how long it took for the I-355 South Expansion to happen. We haven't even started to consider the Lake County Extension with Route 53.

Then people need to stop complaining about how bad traffic is in the Chicago area. We are allowing ourselves to be stagnet in growth. We are too conerned with mainting certain "small town living". The reality is that we are a growing population with transportation needs. We have the worst transit system in that nation. Why is it that other states can build additional highways to support the demand and we keep trying to stay in the past? If you ask me, if you want the "small town" living, there is always Southern Illinois. The Chicago Metropolitan area cannot continue to succeed without adequit transportation. If new highways aren't an option, then why not provide public transportation from the northern suburbs to the southern suburbs? All public transportation here seems to run from east to west. I'm sure the commuters from Plainfield or from Lake County would love to ride a train to work. Our only option right now is to drive in our cars on I-355.

We need to look beyond the common comute from the western suburbs into Chicago. Most of our population works within the suburban community. We need a mass transit system that works for all people. Wouldn't it be nice for someone that lives in Algonquin and be able to take a train into Downers Grove or Naperville?

[ahava]

Originally Posted by FormerStocktonian

We haven't even started to consider the Lake County Extension with Route 53.

It has been considered and it will never happen because the land there has become too valuable. If they were to build the extension now they would have to buy a large amount of land in the Long Grove/Hawthorn Woods area and knock down the new McMansion communities that have been built there in the past ten years.