Welcome to the Willow Road Study Website!
This website is dedicated to the Willow Road Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Study being conducted by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The study began in the fall of 2009 and is anticipated to be completed in the spring of 2012. The Willow Road study limits extend from approximately Illinois Route 43 (Waukegan Road) to Interstate 94 (Edens Expressway), a distance of two miles. The project area is located primarily within the Village of Northfield, but also affects the Villages of Northbrook, Glenview, and Winnetka. The Department’s Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) policy is being applied to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas between the four communities and IDOT.
This website is intended to keep you informed about many different aspects of the study. It will be updated on a regular basis to facilitate the exchange of information. Some of the key information to be posted on the website will be:
- information about upcoming meetings and events;
- study documents that can be both viewed on-line and/or downloaded;
- links to other resources.
In addition, you will be able to provide your comments and inquiries directly to the project team through this website.
Project Introduction
The primary goal of the Willow Road Study is to work with the communities to improve the overall safety mobility, and facility condition and design of Willow Road so that it is capable of meeting the current and future demands of all users for many years to come.
Residents, business leaders and local representatives will have opportunities to be engaged in this 2-year study through public involvement meetings, and the Community Advisory Group (CAG).
Project Status
Eleven CAG meetings and public meetings have been conducted since the project began. The Community Advisory Group (CAG) has completed Step 1 (Context Inventory) and of Step 2 (Analyze Existing). Step 3 (Develop Alternatives) is underway.
As part of these two steps the project team has completed a number of documents that summarize various components of each step. A report entitled Community Context Audit, a problem statement and a listing of the identified transportation needs were completed for Step 1. For Step 2, the team has completed studies regarding safety, traffic volumes, and a physical inventory of the roadway’s condition. Another report focusing on tools to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety has been introduced to the CAG. These studies have concluded that project needs are to improve safety, improve mobility, and improve the condition of the roadway.
Step 3 (Develop Alternatives) began in November 2010 and is still underway. At the March 2011 and April 2011 CAG meetings information was presented about the 19 different build (local and regional) alternatives. A second open house public meeting was conducted on May 16, 2011.
All CAG meetings are working meetings and are open to the public. At the conclusion of each CAG meeting the public has an opportunity to provide comments.