Message of the Day – Congestion

The widening of Randall Road in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills has reached the point where motorists will be frustrated at lane closures. Below one can see what was happening last week as utility relocations began: Here’s what the … Continue reading

McHenry County’s Union Employee Pay Almost $289,000 in Dues Each Year

McHenry County has unionized employees in four unions: Service Employees International Union (Valley Hi Nursing Home) Fraternal Order of Police (Sheriff’s Department) Local 150 of the Operating Engineers (Highway Department) Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP – Circuit Clerk’s Office) 580 … Continue reading

Tax Dollars Hardly Working

Every time I drive by McHenry County’s only Park and Ride lot at the intersection of Route 31 and Virginia Street Road, I wonder about its justification. Certainly there was government-owned land as the path of Virginia Street Road was … Continue reading

Charles and Raffel Roads Roundabout Proposal Comes Around Again, Despite Defeat in Committee Day after Election

Coming around to the McHenry County Transportation Committee for the second time in three weeks is a $2,229,600 proposal to build a roundabout north of the Woodstock North High School on Raffel Road where it dead ends at Charles Road. … Continue reading

$10 Million More to “Expedite” Randall Road Right-of-Way Purchases

Next Wednesday, the McHenry County Board’s Transportation Committee has before it a request to authorize another $10 million  for “the acquisition of right-of-way for the Randall Road widening and resurfacing capacity improvement project.” $5 million was previously appropriated in February of 2014. … Continue reading

Cost of the Algonquin Bypass

Now that the election season is (almost) behind us, perhaps we can start thinking about public policy again and not just politics.  Below is a study by Steve Willson on the Algonquin Bypass: Our Outrageous Roads In September of 2014, … Continue reading

Will Randall Road Be Allowed To Deteriorate Until Widening?

Went to Algonquin Saturday to Red Robin. As we were returning to Crystal Lake, I noticed the Randall Road pothole in the photo below across from the old Citco Station, which I assume the McHenry County Transportation Department has already … Continue reading

Lawrence Road Bridge Being Replaced

Here are the details from the McHenry County Department of Transportations: LAWRENCE ROAD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT IDOT CONTRACT: 61B85,  Section No. 10-00376-00-BR The Lawrence Road Bridge over a tributary to the Lawrence Creek between Ramer Road and Oak Grove Road, 1.5 miles … Continue reading

Non-Dedicated Subdivision Road Meeting Cancelled

The McHenry County Board was scheduled to convene at 6 PM on November 17th to hear what the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office has to say about where the County has been historically, where we are now, and the options available … Continue reading

Tax Protest Suit against McHenry County, Harrison School, CL Grade & High School, plus Alg & McH Townships

Four tax districts in McHenry County are targeted in a tax protest suit filed by attorney Timothy Dwyer on behalf of WKS CRYSTAL Lake, LLC, ET AL. McHenry County is accused of having excessive funds on hand for the Valley Hi Nursing … Continue reading

Considering Widening Randall Road

McHenry County Board Chairman Joe Gottemoller asked a Randall Road question of the four men who want to sit in the seat vacated by Ken Koehler. Besides putting in two left turn lanes on all four corners of the intersection of … Continue reading

County Could Farm Out Snow Removal Near Municipalities

BGA President Andy Shaw writes in the Chicago Sun-Times Monday of suggestions made by former Cook County Commissioner (now Congressman) Mike Quigley on saving Cook County government money. One that sounds a lot like something McHenry County Board member Mike … Continue reading

Over $8 Million for Unincorporated Subdivision Roads

The McHenry County Transportation Committee has voted to budget $8,060,000 over the next five years to attack the problem of unincorporated subdivision roads. A memo explains what’s up: In accordance with Illinois Law, Motor Fuel Tax Funds are permitted to … Continue reading

County Highway Workers Contract

Here are the guts of the McHenry County Transportation Department contract terms with the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, Public Employees Division. This is what is being shown the Count Board: The collective bargaining agreement between the Local 150 … Continue reading

Park & Ride Lot – Possible Salt Dome Site?

The McHenry County Board seems determined to come up with a site for another salt dome in the southeastern part of McHenry County, which the Transportation Committee has defined as south of Route 176 and east of Route 47. Perhaps … Continue reading

What to Expect at County Transporation Committee Meeting Wednesday Morning

The McHenry County Transportation Committee will meet at 8:15 AM in the Board’s room in the Administrative Building in Woodstock. According to The First Electric Newspaper, there was a secret slide presentation to a group of “stakeholders” last Thursday. Algonquin … Continue reading

Randall Road Decision Meeting Moved to County Board Room

With citizens getting uppity on proposed recreational zoning restrictions and mailings going out in opposition to the Continuous Flow Intersection proposal at Randall and Algonquin Roads, McHenry County officials have decided to move next Wednesday’s 8:15 AM meeting of the … Continue reading

CFI Pot Bubbling

I attended my first McHenry County Board Transportation Committee meeting this morning. Todd Bright, the lead man from Randall Road consultant firm TranSystems, gave an update on the project that Chairwoman Anna May Miller is vigorously pushing for a September … Continue reading