Ottawa, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will hold two public workshops in June to obtain public input on identifying possible transportation improvement alternatives for northeastern Illinois. As part of the release of a summary of the proposed purpose and need for the project and the next steps for advancing further studies for the Prairie Parkway Preliminary Engineering Study, IDOT plans to define a wide range of potential alternatives, such as widening existing routes, new arterial streets, new freeways, and transit improvements. IDOT is seeking continued involvement from the public to aid in developing these potential alternatives.

IDOT has scheduled two public workshops on June 16, where the public can offer suggestions for possible transportation improvement alternatives to address the projected transportation system deficiencies identified in the Transportation System Performance Report, which was released in March. The Prairie Parkway Preliminary Engineering Study’s Transportation System Performance Report identified a number of existing and projected future transportation system deficiencies in all of Kendall County and portions of DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, LaSalle and Will counties.

“IDOT has reached a point in the Prairie Parkway Preliminary Engineering Study where there is a need to research viable transportation alternatives for this dynamic region of northeastern Illinois. We encourage the public to provide feedback and offer any transportation alternatives that they feel may benefit the future transportation development of this region,” said District 3 Engineer John Kos of IDOT. “Northeastern Illinois counties are seeing a dramatic growth in population and traffic and IDOT strives to meet the transportation needs of this region as we look to the future.”

The Transportation System Performance Report revealed that three counties in the study area are ranked on the list of 100 fastest growing counties in the United States in 2002 according to the U.S. Census Bureau: Will (#4), Kane (#9) and Kendall (#53). By 2030, the population in the six counties of the study region is expected to increase by 89 percent, from 1.2 million to 2.3 million people. The entire Transportation System Performance Report is available for viewing at www.prairie-parkway.com.

“Public involvement continues to be a major component to the preliminary phase of this regional transportation study,” said Kos. “IDOT is committed to evaluating transportation solutions by working with the public to develop, build and maintain cost-effective transportation facilities that fit into and reflect the project's surroundings.”

The public is invited to attend one of two alternatives workshops that will be held:

The public is invited and encouraged to attend these workshops. During these workshops, you can join your fellow community members in discussing and identifying possible solutions for the region’s existing and future transportation needs.

Following the two alternatives workshops, IDOT will compile the transportation alternatives suggested at the workshops and evaluate these alternatives based on how well they address the purpose and need of the study. The alternatives will then be evaluated based on meeting additional criteria, and a final list of alternatives will be introduced to the public.

Both public meeting sites are accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are needed, please contact IDOT’s office at 815-434-8435, or TTY 815-434-6164.