People sat down at two tables to fill out comment sheets.
From 4- 7 where McHenry County Board committees meet, residents came to see what the county wants to do to Fleming Road.
The initial reaction of many area residents is exemplified by the Post-It Note next to one portion of the aerial photo of the rural highway.
"Leave us alone," one Post-It Note reads. (Click to enlarge.)
“Leave us along”
Others seemed to be willing to have the county repave the road, but definitely did not want any encroachment on their properties, some of which are quite close to the road.
"Improve the base and drainage before re-surfacing." Another person wants the money spent on Pioneer Center instead, not realizing that the money to be used are restricted funds.
Improve the base and drainage before re-surfacing said another note.
There is no base to Fleming Road under the four inches of asphalt, as was discovered when a snowplow ripped up the four inches of ashpalt this winter. That's Engineer Wally Dittrich's finger doing the pointing.
And, that is the problem that the road presents. Look at this picture of an emergency repair that had to be made this past winter when a snowplow ripped up the four inches of asphalt. There is no base underneath. Just clay at this place in the road.
Improving the road enough to allow gravel and other trucks to use Fleming Road as a North-South shortcut was a concern of more than one person attending.
One woman wondered if it would become a shortcut for gravel trucks. If the road gets improved enough, will such trucks have to be granted access? she asked.
"Bull Valley Road is worse." "Raffle Road is worse than Fleming." (Click to read other notes.)
“Bull Valley Road is worse than Fleming,” one person wrote. What he or she probably does not realize about Bull Valley Road is that it is not a county highway. It is maintained (and I use that word loosely for a road that is worse that the cobblestones of yore) by the Village of Bull Valley.
County Board Transporation Committee Chair Anna May Miller talks to several people at the event.
Three county board members—Transportation Committee Chair Anna May Miller, Tina Hill and Virginia Peschke—attended and I saw one candidate, John Jung, who told me some of his former constituents did not realize that he was no longer in office.
"Do not widen Fleming. Leave trees, plants and shrubs alone. Do not remove curves." (Click to enlarge.)
More than one message asked the road to be left in its present configuration.
This note is skeptical about the real motives for improving Fleming Road.
Hidden motives were hinted at by one note. Apparently elected officials at the county level have a credibility problem.
Stoplights were requested at both ends of Fleming Road. There are 2,900 vehicels a day on the northern section and 2,600 on the southern part.
Stoplights were suggested at both the Route 120 and Country Club Road intersections of Fleming Road. A reconfiguration of the intersection to form a “T” at Country Club Road was also suggested.
More information in this earlier story.
Is the money coming from the federal stimulus package or from other funds? In the blog it was mentioned that the funds were restricted. does that mean for this road only, or for only road projects on county roads. I travel this road every day and basic resurfacing would so just fine. If you widen the road and strengthen the base, it will just turn in to the woodstock beltway.
I noticed a sticky note asking that tonnage not be increased and other notes. Sorry Charlie but that ship already sailed. Gone are the days when weight limits could be restricted. Heavier vehicles previously were restricted to STATE highways and local designated roads. Heavy vehicles were allowed 5 miles only onto DESIGNATED highways to load, unload or for rest or repair. This five mile access did not include COUNTY or TOWNSHIP Roads as they were not STATE highways. Then along came the big FEDERAL Government said nope, nadda, can’t do…..allow all trucks or we’ll hold your transportation funds. Illinois changed the law this year and basically any truck can go anywhere and yes the township and some older County roads are going to fail first. Now the best case scenario is strict enforcement of the existing weight laws. For a truck otherwiuse legal on any other STATE highway the fine is only $75.00 if above a local weight limit. The fine is for disobeying a traffic control device. Overweight fines do not apply.
ANY construction project must comply with Federal DOT specs. That includes adding to the road base and width. Since Fleming has nearly zero road base it will be a major undertaking. Want to really get into a bugabo, replace a bridge. Just ask the people in Alden.
Face it folks; if it’s fixed it must be fixed right.
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I think you show re-do the whole road. After every winter, the road gets worse. Right now Fleming is too narrow and too curvy for bicycles, please widen it a little more. Slowing traffic down will not help how people drive down it. There is no need to waste the money on traffic lights at either ends. I drive down that road at all times of the day and night, and I have never had a problem getting on or off Fleming.
Lets stop complaining about funding for health and blah blah blah. This money is for transportation and making our roads safer to DRIVE ON!!
I just dont understand why county money allocated money for repairs and alterations is reserved for only “county” roads, not roads withing the county.
I lived in Woodstock and now live in Harvard.
Seems the only roads that are ever resurfaced or permanently repaired are county roads. There are so many roads within the county, smaller roads that are so bad cars are being bottomed out on.
Roads well traveled too; such as Irish lane (bad), Schultz (worst), and Church street, just to name a few in Harvard. One of the worst roads is Wilson road in Woodstock.
No why cant county money for roads and bridges be used on all roads within the county, not just county roads?
I say put the money towards roads that need it more than others.
I oppose any changes to Flemming road that would upset the nature of it.
Do not widen this road, fix what is needed, resurface if needed, but do not widen. No trees or homeowners should suffer.
And if you do resurface, do it so it last, cause we all know how the county cuts cost by cutting quality, then it falls apart in a year and the lines are gone in a few months….no good.