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Chicago Tribune
10 hours ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Will County Board refuses to drop 143rd Street widening from transporation plan, but stalls passage
Will County's five-year transportation improvement plan, typically approved each June, will head back to committee for more review after a motion to remove the controversial 143rd Street road project from the plan failed. The County Board's Public Works and Transportation Committee will discuss the transportation plan July 1. Every year, the Will County Division of Transportation puts out the newest version of the plan, which outlines future road projects. With engineering, planning, right of way acquisition, utility relocation and construction, road improvement projects span multiple years. The county's highway system includes 258 miles of roads and 87 bridges, and it expects to spend about $756.2 million in the next five years on corridor, bridge and intersection improvements and general maintenance. The 143rd Street project in Homer Glen, which is a $72.6 million improvement, has been fiercely debated for more than 18 months, and some members of the County Board asked Wednesday to have it removed from the plan, citing resident opposition. Recently, a bill authorizing the county to use quick-take powers to seize property along 143rd Street stalled in Springfield. Although the bill was not voted on by the time the legislature ended their spring session May 31, that does not stop the widening project. Will County began engineering studies in 2009 to widen 143rd Street from two to five lanes from State Street/Lemont Road to Bell Road. For more than a decade, county officials voiced their support for the project, and $6.2 million has already been spent. A $7 million federal grant earmarked for the project must be obligated by 2026. County Board member Steve Balich, a Republican who represents Homer Glen, said the delay in Springfield means county officials need to work with Homer Glen officials on creating a new solution for the road that pleases residents. Board member Judy Ogalla, a Monee Republican, said Homer Glen's population has not boomed like it was anticipated years ago, and the road did not become a commercial corridor as once planned. Expanding the road from two to five lanes would 'completely change the quality of life,' for Homer Glen residents, Ogalla said. Traffic counts, however, show that the road should be expanded to improve flow and safety, county officials said. 'Those studies show that the traffic count on 143rd is 3,000 vehicles per day more than what warrants a four- and five-lane system,' said County Board Speaker Joe VanDuyne, the past chairman of the Public Works and Transportation Committee. Even though the population of Homer Glen has remained the same, the roadway use has been increasing, said Jeff Ronaldson, the county's transportation director. More drivers have been using 143rd Street even after the Illinois Department of Transportation widened 159th Street just two miles away, Ronaldson said. Removing 143rd Street from the transportation plan could jeopardize the federal funding the county has received for this project. VanDuyne, a Wilmington Democrat, said the county risks losing future grants because it shows it is not committed to the projects it has approved. Ronaldson said if the county widened 143rd Street to three lanes, a similar amount of land would have to be taken. The project as planned doesn't affect Reed Elementary School and its bus queuing area, he said. After the vote to remove 143rd Street from the five-year transportation plan failed, the board opted to send the plan back to committee for more discussion. 'The portion of the plan that details information about 143rd Street will likely be discussed but it is unclear what, if any, changes will come from it,' said Mark Revis, the vice chair of the Public Works and Transportation Committee, who will preside over the July 1 meeting. Revis, of Plainfield, has been the only Republican who supports the 143rd Street widening. He was also the only Republican not to sign onto a lawsuit against county Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, when she vetoed an attempt last year to alter the 143rd Street plan. That lawsuit was recently dismissed in Will County Circuit Court. Revis said he would like to see a footnote added to the five-year plan that says it is subject to change and based on estimates. Board member Dan Butler, a Frankfort Republican, said the 143rd Street project is just one part of the transportation improvement plan that needs a closer look. He said he would like to see more details overall in the plan that includes such items as the county's priorities, why projects were planned the way they were and if there are other options for the projects, such as creating turning lanes or adding traffic lights. Butler, who proposed sending the plan back to committee, said he is against quick take or eminent domain to seize land and wants to ensure local and township officials are consulted about all road projects before money is spent. He also wants more details on how much pipeline relocations will cost. 'I want to take care of the roads and serve the people in a way that everybody benefits and not make people miserable where they live,' Butler said. 'I don't want to be wasteful and spend money on things that will hurt townships or communities.' VanDuyne said it was unfortunate the plan was referred back to committee, saying the transportation department each year provides a detailed look at their projects, and County Board members have plenty of time to offer their suggestions.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Monee's St. Paul church granted landmark status by county
A Monee church with roots dating back to the 1850s is being acknowledged as an official Will County historical landmark. The Will County Board Wednesday granted landmark status to the 110-year-old St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 5323 W. Margaret St., making it the 61th Will County site to be named a landmark since the program began in 1992. 'This is very exciting for the village of Monee,' said County Board member Judy Ogalla, who represents the area. While the church was dedicated during services conducted in both English and German on June 13, 1915, the congregation can trace its history decades earlier when German immigrants settled in eastern Will County. In 1858, 35 residents founded St. Paul's congregation, according to the church's history. Despite having little money, they built the original church structure in 1860 for about $1,045 and used adjacent land that was donated by one of the first church officers and village founders for a cemetery. The historic designation is extra special to Christina Holston, a member of the Will County Historic Preservation Commission, whose relatives were among the church's founders in the 1850s. 'St. Paul's has been the cornerstone of village life for many years,' Holston said. 'Community life was centered around St. Paul's.' The ground for a new church was broken in 1914. Members of the congregation placed important documents and the history of the church in a copper box embedded in the cornerstone, though only a few of the charter members who organized the congregation in 1858 were living and present at the ceremony, historical documents said. 'After the cornerstone ceremony the ladies of the church spread long tables in the basement and loaded them with fried chicken, boiled ham, potato salad, pickles, pies and all the trimming, serving over 4,000 until long into the evening,' the church's history said. Throughout the years, the church has been home to several organizations and events, Holston said. Both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts met in the basement as did a quilting society and a knitting club that created handmade booties and blankets for new babies. The church has been a host for veterans breakfasts, pork chop dinners and Oktoberfest celebrations, Holston said. St. Paul's Cemetery, which is the resting place for about 100 veterans, including 17 Civil War veterans, is part of Wreaths Across America day, Holston said. St. Paul's Cemetery was named an official Will County historic landmark in 2020, and numerous of Holston's relatives, dating back to her great, great, great-grandfather, are buried there. 'It's been a landmark in the community for its entire life,' Holston said. 'Now it's officially being recognized.' Landmarking protects local heritage, boosts tourism, increases property values and helps the environment by reusing what already exists, according to the Will County Land Use Department. Property owners may qualify for tax credits and state and federal grants. There are four other Will County landmarks located within Monee Township, including the Monee Creamery, the Riegel Farmstead, the St. Paul's Cemetery, and the Henery Furst House. Nominating the site recognizes its importance to local history and its value to the Monee community, county documents said. Will County staff noted the church's exterior and interior are in good physical condition, and it is an example of gothic revival style, which was a popular architectural style for the times. 'It has a lot of meaning to the village,' said Ogalla, of Monee. 'The families have a deep appreciation and love for this building. It's just a focal point of this community that everyone can wrap their arms around.' She said the building and its congregation are welcoming. Holston said they hope to have a celebration for the historical landmark status later this summer or in fall.
