I’ve been wondering why the Algonquin By-Pass  is proceeding so slowly.

Now that the Roadhouse (2011 photo) has been torn down on the northern side of Algonquin Raod, there's enough rorom there for the Western Bypass of Downtown Algonquin.

Wish I could remember where I read that the Illinois Department of Transportation now has concluded it needs part of the Algonquin Post Office property.

Regardless, I decided to ask the Postal System for its viewpoint.

Here’s Bradford W. Meador Manager, Property Management, Great Lakes Facilities Service Office, wrote me (formatting by me):

“The IDOT proposal for both

• permanent taking, permanent easement and t
• emporary easement

of the postal service site are of concern to the postal service.

“At the moment, clarification is needed from IDOT as to why a permanent easement of almost one acre is needed for a portion of the site to the rear.  T

“The permanent taking which is in two locations of the postal service site is understood but not necessarily acceptable.

“One area of permanent taking in the rear of the site precludes any opportunity for parking expansion in the future for postal vehicles.

“The portion of the permanent taking with frontage on Route 62 removes the ability for customers and carriers to make a left turn on to Route 62 since a median is proposed.

“However, there is currently an ingress curb cut on the west end of the postal service site that will be retained and allow left turns on to Route 62 after the current customer parking is changed to 90 degree parking from angled parking.

“The current angled customer parking routes customers to the east egress point.

“Thus, left turns on to Route 62 will be one location rather than two which may create a longer exit time and potential safety issues for customers and postal vehicles.

“The temporary easement for five years is for most of the customer parking in the front of the Main Post Office which will create a challenge for customer parking during those five years.

“The next step in this process will be to clarify these concerns to IDOT and meet to resolve how to move forward since IDOT can not apply condemnation rights against the U S Postal Service.”