Protecting and maintaining the quality of the Fox River is part of the mission of the Friends of the Fox River nonprofit organization. In recent months, following that mission has also included opposing Kane County’s Longmeadow Parkway project. And that’s made for an awkward relationship with the Kane County Forest Preserve District.
The Longmeadow Parkway is a $135 million, 5.6-mile corridor that will create a new toll bridge over the Fox River at the northern border of the county. After 30 years of planning, the project is seeing the most vehement opposition in just the past few months.
Read more here.
We need a bridge across the fox river I am so for this project If people were so worried about the trees and such they should not have bought their house where they did! They were told of this project when they bought their house. So stop whining and just deal with the fact that this bridge is going to be the best for all!
Molly – do you know what the difference in traffic will be according to the County’s studies?
No Change – unless you consider that ending this tollway on RT 62 at Autumn Trail makes the potential for worse traffic on RT 62 east of that junction. Their published study indicates this will reduce traffic on I-90 by approx 10% but have virtually no other change (other % changes within the margin of error for the study).
Many were not properly notified when purchasing their houses. And besides, how much do you believe this project will cost the taxpayers and citizens? Are you confident this will only cost 130 Million as they proclaim? Or will this be one more over-budget expense we can ill afford with our state, county and local taxes and budgets in such a mess.
It’s a broad and bold statement to declare the bridge is best for all. It is best for Kane County politicians. It can spur maybe a little more growth west of the Fox and some more tax revenue, subdivisions and ultimately more congestion. It is not best for all those who’s property values will be negatively affected. It’s not best for the environment. As someone looking for residential real estate in late 2013 and 2014, I can tell you that not many of those adjacent to the proposed Longmeadow Parkway were in the know.
Chas:
“not many . . . . in the know” is an understatement. VBH’s former Village President and his obediant VBH BOT kept their support for LMP secret from VBH residents until public disclosure of a recently revealed “quid pro quo” with President of Algonquin (Duda zoning for LMP) by VBH BOT Fritz Gohl.
Many were surpised VBH government through former Village President and VBH BOT supported LMP. This may come as a surprise to public sector employees but since 2008 growth projections in Kane and McHenry counties and job opportunities in Illinois have significantly diminished.
Beside loss of jobs due to irresponsible government spending and taxation in “Republican majority” Kane and McHenry Counties productive residents are leaving in significant numbers and will continue to leave in the future.
LMP is not needed because the brand of “Progressive” Republicanism in Kane and McHenry Counties over these many years will in time take care of the traffic problem in the entire region.
Just continue policies of increasing taxation resultig in decreased financial opportunity for residents and the problem of traffic in Kane and McHenry Counties will cure itself without having to do any additional paving.
The misguided, unbridled political ambitions of one man led to this monstrosity of a super-highway that will soon wind through and empty into the Village. All properties along Algonquin Road from 25 to 59 will experience significant diminished values, thanks to this “Parkway”. Mr. Gohl does have a fiduciary duty to explain further the history behind the lack of public disclosure and discussion by the Village Board at that time.