|
December 17, 2015
Today, the Illinois Toll Highway
Authority Board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the IL Route 53/120 project. The move
follows four years of diligent work by a broad group of government, business
and environmental leaders in Lake County to advance the project, which had
previously been stalled for decades.
An EIS includes a detailed study of
alignment alternatives, environmental impacts, financial feasibility and a “no
build” scenario. The EIS process will also include a robust public information
and engagement program with multiple meetings and opportunities for public
input. The EIS will be conducted in partnership with the Illinois Tollway, the
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Lake County Division of
Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration.
“Over the last four years, a diverse
group of leaders worked to develop an innovative vision for the IL Route 53/120
project that balances a desire for traffic congestion relief opportunities with
a need for enhanced environmental and community protections,” said Lake County
Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor, who serves as co-chair of the IL Route 53/120 Blue
Ribbon Advisory Council. “I want to
thank the Tollway Board for approving an EIS for the IL Route 53/120 project
and their commitment to further evaluate this project.”
In 2011, the Illinois Tollway reinitiated
the project by convening the IL Route 53/120 Blue Ribbon Advisory Council
(BRAC) and charged the panel with developing a plan that built consensus among
local and regional stakeholders. They recommended
an innovative parkway with specific design and performance standards that
reduce congestion, preserve the environment, and enhance connectivity. A Finance
Committee and Land Use Committee also developed feasible financing options and
land use strategies. Additionally, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
listed this project as a top priority in its regional master plan saying it
would have the highest congestion reduction benefits and the largest economic
impacts.
“We have moved this project further
than ever before by building consensus among a broad group of leaders in
support of a modern, innovative transportation system with strong standards
that protect the environment. It is critical that the Tollway and IDOT use the
BRAC recommendations as the intellectual framework for the IL Route 53/120 EIS,”
Lawlor added.
“Today is a giant step forward in
advancing traffic congestion mitigation and economic growth for Lake
County. The IL Route 53/120 project also
presents an opportunity to think differently about how we address
transportation needs in sensitive environmental areas,” Illinois Tollway
Director and Lake County Board Member (Dist. 17) Nick Sauer said. “I am committed to ensuring the BRAC
recommendations and performance standards are an integral part of the EIS.”
Visit ILRoute53.org for more information on the IL Route 53/120 project, including previous
studies, letters of support, and project-related videos.
###
Contact: Jennie Vana
Communications Manager
Lake County Administrator's Office
Email Address: jvana@lakecountyil.gov
Phone Number: 847.377.2154
| 
