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Aurora Beacon-News
April 23, 2002

Highway program includes millions for outer belt

Awaiting decision: State to announce route next month


By Dave Parro
STAFF WRITER

The state highway improvement program announced by Gov. George Ryan late last week includes $18.75 million for the Prairie Parkway, mainly federal funds that have been earmarked since mid-December.

The money for preliminary engineering includes a 20 percent state match on top of the $15 million congressional appropriation through the National Corridor Planning and Development Program. Ryan announced his $2.3 billion statewide road program Friday for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The Prairie Parkway would link Interstate 88 with Interstate 80, with proposed routes on both the east and west sides of Route 47, and another route farther west.

The funds for the outer-belt project are contingent upon completion of the corridor protection process, which means they aren't available until the Illinois Department of Transportation sets a corridor for the highway and applies for the funds.

IDOT spokesman Dick Adorjan said the state will announce the corridor's adjusted centerline in May.

"We're looking at sometime next month for releasing our analysis on the alignments," Adorjan said.

Since holding a public hearing on the 400-foot corridor protection strip in December, IDOT has reviewed more than 1,200 pieces of correspondence on the proposed 33-mile highway through Kane, Kendall and Grundy counties. The final alignment could be a simple modification of the proposed "center" alignment, or it could be an entirely different corridor altogether.

Any significant changes could require another public hearing and public comment period.

Preliminary engineering studies would cost $15 million to $20 million and would take five to six years. No additional funds have been earmarked so far, Adorjan said.

Secured by U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Yorkville, the funds will cover environmental, traffic and need assessments for the highway. The federal bill earmarking the funds passed the U.S. House in July and was signed into law late last year.