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 be used towards the improvement of Nondedicated Subdivision Roads to have them become part of a township highway system provided a proportional match from the property owners is made per State Statute.  The County’s current Nondedicated Subdivision Road Paving Program, allowing for deviations from standards, is funded through matching from townships and the subdivisions.  The County funds only roadway paving.

The proposed new NSR Construction Program would be funded by the Division of Transportation.

Funding from townships or subdivisions may not necessarily be required.

The County would fund any activities, in addition to paving, necessary to bring a road into a public jurisdiction.

Such activities may include, but are not limited to, design engineering, plat of highways, permits, signs, and any construction activity.

Construction activities could include construction engineering, shoulders, curb and gutter, storm sewers, culverts, tree pruning/removal/replacement, gravel sub-base, full depth asphalt paving, and property acquisition, to name a few.

The actual activities required would be determined on a case by case basis.

This program would operate through a process whereby a public entity takes jurisdiction of a Nondedicated Subdivision Road first becoming a public road.

Through an intergovernmental agreement, the County could fund all activities required for inclusion into a public jurisdiction.

The motion passed the Transportation Committee last week on a 5-2 vote.

Voting against the proposal were Chairwoman Anna May Miller, plus Tina Hill.

$2.5 million a year would be budgeted for the first three years.

Hill told McHenry County Blog that she thought the amount allocated could not be spent.