Back on October 14th, the Daily Herald wrote:
Two McHenry County snow plows came east on Ackman Road onto Randall-Rakow Road.
“As a precaution, while awaiting new equipment, IDOT is taking proactive steps by reaching out to certain local governments in the collar counties to gauge if they would be willing to perform snow removal responsibilities on secondary state routes on a limited and reimbursable basis — areas where they would have crews already deployed during weather events,” IDOT spokeswoman Gianna Urgo said.
“REIMBURSABLE” MY ASS!
The State has not been paying it’s bills for years, is in hopeless insolvency, now wants to pass the buck for snow plowing to the County.
If our County Board or Transportation Dept falls for this, we are all in BIG trouble!
4 wheel drive – nothing better in the winter around these parts.
If my seemingly simple, three-mile, daily commute is any indication, it would be better if they didn’t plow any roads at all.
It would cut down on the number of under-achieving, texting morons that have trouble navigating on dry pavement as it is.
Sure would be nice, even for free.
I can’t count how many times 14 was a mess and local plows were prohibited from helping out.
Most notable is the hill leading into FRG.
Wisconsin has their road maintenance figured out pretty well.
The county takes care of the plowing of state highways there.
IL won’t pay back the County.
So does County plow for public safety or let it go?
State knows what its doing!
If people vote for the till money collected for Roads Only this should not even be an issue?
but if that fails then the till will continue to be robbed by the robbers of S. Field….
Why are they even asking this ???? of the counties?
Back around 1970, Wisconsin counties built the state roads, even the interstates.
Southeast ends of 14 and 31 were widened, the IDOT snow plowing didn’t keep up.
Cary and FRG trucks step in on 14 when traffic backs up to Barrington or CL.
CL took over their part of 14, and that part is way better maintained than 31 and 14.
Nunda Twh plows 176 and parts of 31 by Terra Cotta on request from IDOT Woodstock.
It’s time to consolidate IDOT secondary roads, almost all state roads in the county, into a similar model as Wisconsin, County, Township, or Municipal maintained.
IDOT is housed in Woodstock, McDOT is NW of Woodstock, long travel times slow down the process, especially for the SE corner of the county which adds to cost, add union wages…..
Township’s could take over some of the state and county roads in their areas, and the Municipalities their sections of the state and county roads.
This would reduce travel times saving on wages, fuel, and etc, plus the quality of maintenance would improve.
Put all the County, Township, and Municipal road maintenance heads, “Foremen’s”, in the same room for a few meetings and a much better plan for all will most likely be the result.
Public Works Directors and Twh Highway dudes can argue the funding, then present the plan for all to see and discuss.
Cut IDOT Woodstock road crews to ZERO, maybe they will be happy to take a pay cut and work for one of the other gov agencies.
Just a part of a long considered thought that has meet the proper timing.
I strongly disagree that Crystal Lake’s snow plowing of Route 14 is stellar.
Stellar is your term, mine was way better.
Better than Smit is not necessarily perfect.
Only Mary Poppins is perfect, and she isn’t plowing in this county.
Wrong again, Nob.
ONLY Jesus was perfect.
Actually it was Bert who said that.
Sarcasm Cindy, Jesus said love they neighbors, lighten up a tad with the Bible beatings.