McHenry County Long Range Transporation Plan Hearings Set

A press release from McHenry County:

Public Meetings Scheduled for Draft McHenry County 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan

McDot long range transportation plan logo 5-13WOODSTOCK, IL – The McHenry County Division of Transportation (MCDOT) is pleased to announce the release of the draft 2040 McHenry County Long Range Transportation Plan. The plan offers an analysis of transportation needs throughout the County and identifies over a billion dollars of transportation projects to help meet these needs. This plan was developed by the MCDOT with guidance from the Transportation Committee of the County Board, dozens of stakeholders that took part in focus groups, and thousands of residents that provided big ideas and detailed comments.

A multifaceted outreach process was developed for this plan allowing thousands of residents to chip in and offer their ideas about how transportation can be improved. Based on what was heard during the outreach process, six goals were developed for the plan:

  1. Mitigate Highway Congestion
  2. Make Transportation Safer
  3. Promote Mobility for All Residents
  4. Provide Transportation Choices
  5. Preserve Environmental Quality
  6. Link Transportation & Land Use

Since the beginning of the process, four specific transportation projects have been consistently identified and supported by the public, local agencies, and local businesses:

  1. Metra’s Union Pacific Commuter Rail Line Upgrades
  2. Illinois Route 47 between U.S. 14 and Charles Road in Woodstock
  3. Illinois Route 47 between Reed Road in Huntley and U.S. 14 in Woodstock
  4. Illinois Route 31 between IL 176 in Crystal Lake and IL 120 in McHenry.

These projects are included in the plan. In addition, the plan calls for a greater focus on addressing congestion on local streets. The traffic modeling efforts undertaken to develop the plan indicate that the local road system is likely to experience greater percentage changes in overall congestion than U.S., State, and County highways. The plan calls for bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure and operations to be better coordinated and built in ways that eliminate existing barriers between communities and transit facilities.

The plan also asks the County Board to consider playing an active role in preserving corridors for future highway expansion.

It will be important to partner with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the County’s Planning and Development Department to work with the public to establish and preserve strategic corridors.

In total, $1 billion in highway projects, $525 million for transit projects, and $62.5 million for bicycle and pedestrian projects have been identified and are included as part of this plan. To implement these projects and to best prepare for the future, the plan recommends the following keys to implementation:

  1. Build Legislative Support for Metra Service Upgrades
  2. Prioritize Preventative Maintenance on Roadways
  3. Leverage State Funding for Side Paths and Other Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure
  4. Focus on Providing Greater Local Transportation Choices

The plan can be found on the project website at www.2040McHenryCountyPlan.org.

Public Meetings

Details where and when hearings will be held.

Details where and when hearings will be held.

Six public meetings will be held across McHenry County to present the results of the draft plan. Each meeting will be presented in an open house style and will be attended by staff from the McHenry County Division of Transportation. The meetings will be held on the following days/locations:

  • November 7, 3:00 – 7:00 PM, Lake in the Hills Village Hall
  • November 8, 1:00 – 5:00 PM, Woodstock Opera House
  • November 12, 3:00 – 7:00 PM, Harvard Library
  • November 14, 3:00 – 7:00 PM, Marengo City Hall
  • November 15, 3:00 – 7:00 PM, Crystal Lake City Hall
  • November 18, 3:00 – 7:00 PM, McHenry Township Hall

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