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Aurora Beacon-News
March 20, 2002
First stand: Board still hasn't taken position for or against outer-belt freeway
By Mike Norbut
STAFF WRITER
YORKVILLE ó The Kendall County Board took a stance on the proposed outer-belt freeway at its meeting Tuesday.
It just wasn't a very strong one.
The board unanimously passed a resolution requesting that the Illinois Department of Transportation "study
and respond to the affected citizens' suggested revisions" with regard to the highway's proposed alignment.
It was a far cry from the firm stances nearly every municipality in the Fox Valley has taken either for or against
the road.
It also was a retreat from the resolution proposed by Board Chairman John Church at last month's meeting, which
asked IDOT to consider an eastern alternative to the proposed route. The resolution died without the board voting
on it.
"It's a little step back," said board member Marie Bracken, whose Fox Township property would be affected
by the proposed alignment. "If they came out with a resolution that said we opposed it, I'd say, 'Let's do
it,' but that's not going to happen."
The board has been divided on the proposed highway, which is designed to connect Interstates 88 and 80 through
Kane and Kendall counties. While some have said they wanted a different alignment, others have said they like it
where it's proposed and they don't want to hinder progress.
About the only common ground board members have been able to find is they think the landowners who are most affected
should have an influential voice with road planners.
The resolution says IDOT "should grant special attention to those ideas and suggestions for revisions which
can reduce the financial and physical impact on farm operations, businesses and family homes."
"This does what most of us wanted to see it do," board member Bill Cote said. "It requests more
work, more study."
While board members have stressed their opinion on the matter could change, they said this is their stance for
now.
Even board members who would like to see the county be more active, like Church, haven't lost their sense of
humor on the topic.
"We'll retype this, I'll add a couple of sentences, and then, we'll send it in," Church said to a chorus
of laughter.