McHenry County residents of the village of Algonquin to receive same discounted toll as Kane County residents
The Kane County Board’s Transportation Committee has given preliminary approval of the toll structure for the Longmeadow Parkway toll bridge over the Fox River, scheduled to open in 2022.
The Longmeadow Parkway, once completed, will connect Huntley Road in southwestern Algonquin with the bridge over the Fox River through northern Carpentersville and connect with Algonquin Road/IL Route 62 in Barrington Hills.
Throughout Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen’s (R, Aurora) two terms, he has spearheaded the completion of the bridge and transportation corridor linking two municipalities which cross from McHenry County to Kane County with an additional transportation corridor to cross the Fox River into the Cook County northwest suburbs as well as local traffic in and around Dundee Township.
The toll schedule for passenger vehicles is recommended at 95 cents per crossing.
An unlimited use annual pass will be offered for purchase and include a significant discount for Kane County residents and village of Algonquin residents in McHenry County. The annual pass pricing and large commercial truck tolls is recommended on the following schedule:
- $200/year for Kane County residents and all village of Algonquin residents in McHenry County
- $300/year for all other frequent users of the toll bridge outside of Kane County and the village of Algonquin
- Large commercial trucks ineligible for annual pass will pay the following toll schedule:
- $7 with an I-PASS
- $8.50 without one
The $200/year pass usage for residents is expected to pay for itself for once/day round trip usage within a year. More frequent use of the bridge will pay for the annual pass faster.
Drivers who do not purchase the annual pass will be paying 95 cents per crossing through their Illinois Tolls I-PASS transponder account.
The toll is being charged to pay off the $28 million in bonds to finance the bridge as quickly as possible.
At last Tuesday’s Transportation Committee meeting, Board Member Chris Kious (D, Algonquin) introduced three resolutions which the committee defeated to attempt to protest issues some residents near the Longmeadow Parkway bridge/corridor have expressed over the years:
- Eliminate the parkway toll. It received the support only of county board member Jarett Sanchez (D, Carpentersville).
- Place tolls on all other county-controlled roadways. Kious said the resolution was an effort to have all county residents experience the same burdens his constituents will feel when using Longmeadow.
- Suggested naming the toll bridge after County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen. Kious blames Lauzen for the project moving forward.
The full Kane County Board will need to approve the Transportation Committee’s recommendation for the toll schedule. The full approval will likely be at the next county board meeting on February 11.
H/T: James Fuller, Daily Herald reporter for confirming with Kane County Department of Transportation the definition of an Algonquin resident in McHenry County is based solely on living in the municipality, and not unincorporated McHenry County residents in the 60102 ZIP code.
The link to Fuller’s full story in the Herald is below:
Just Illinois rip off No. 476589002.
Pay a toll or pay the troll?