Good catch by Northwest Herald Opinion Page Editor Brian Slupski.

He notes that in the new six-year highway plan issued by the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Western Bypass of the Route 31-62 intersection is missing.

Even though there is $20 million of federal cash waiting to pay for part of it, compliments of Congressman Donald Manzullo.

As the planning process has dragged on, the cost has escalated, Slupski explains and now IDOT just doesn’t think it is important enough to complete by 2013.

This is the first time I have seen a congressional “earmark” disappear from IDOT’s planning process.

I think the answer is political pressure, which, of course, the Northwest Herald could help produce by putting the story on its front page as well.