Municipal Group 6 Meeting #1 - May 22, 1998
 
MEETING SUMMARY
The first meeting of Municipal Group #6 was held at the Deerfield Village Hall on May 22, 1998 at 7:30 A.M. The following municipalities were invited to attend: 
  • Village of Bannockburn 
  • Village of Deerfield 
  • Village of Green Oaks 
  • City of Highland Park 
  • City of Highwood 
  • Village of Lake Bluff 
  • City of Lake Forest 
  • Village of Lincolnshire 
  • Village of Mettawa 
  • Village of Riverwoods 
The meeting focused on the following topics: 
  • Overview of the project process and schedule 
  • Overview of the public involvement program 
  • Selection of the Municipal Group representative to the Technical Advisory Group 
  • Findings from the project focus groups 
  • Discussion of transportation issues 
  • Next Steps 
The project team provided an overview of the project process and schedule, the role and responsibilities of the representatives and reinforced the importance of Municipal Group representation for the project.  The public involvement program—intended to provide opportunities for groups and individuals to contribute to the decision-making process—was also discussed.  The modes of participation for the general public, interest groups, and policy/technical/regulatory leaders were specified.  The opportunity to provide technical input—through the Technical Advisory Group (TAG)—was also outlined.  After qualifications for TAG membership were suggested, the attending municipal officials chose a TAG representative and an alternate.  

The findings from focus groups were presented, including perceptions of transportation problems in the county. The project team then solicited comments from the municipal representatives on transportation issues.  The municipal representatives voiced the following concerns during this exercise: 

  • Alleviate US 41 congestion due to tollbooth/tollway construction. 
  • Provide maintenance of existing facilities (US 41 and Lake Michigan Circle Tour). 
  • Oppose the widening of Lake Cook Road—share the distribution of east/west traffic with parallel routes, IL 22 and Dundee Road. 
  • Make non-road improvements a priority. 
  • Provide shuttle service from suburban commuter rail stations to employment areas. 
  • Oppose the further expansion of Route 60—a 5-lane facility bisects the community. 
  • Downtown Mettawa has 2 bicycle routes, which need to get across Route 60. 
  • Grainger expansion will add additional traffic to Route 60. 
  • Provide a full interchange at IL 176. 
  • Improve IL 22 and Lake Cook Road. 
  • Need better construction coordination with the county. 
  • Relieve IL 22 westbound congestion (during the evening) from the Tri-State to IL 43 
  • Alleviate congestion on Riverwoods Road caused by Deerfield tollbooth. 
  • Control transportation off the tollway at Deerfield Road (increasing capacity on Deerfield Road, an improvement to 4 lanes, would bisect the community) 
  • Focus on the suburb-to-suburb commute 
  • Oppose the widening of Route 60 to 6-through lanes 
  • Upgrade/expand the interchange at IL Route 176 and I-94 to a 4-way, north/south interchange 
  • Widen Route 176 to 4-through lanes from IL 83 to Waukegan Road 
Project activities that will be taking place over the next six months (illustrated on a display board) were discussed.  At the conclusion of this meeting, the project team thanked the municipal group representatives that their comments and suggestions, as they are vital to the success of the project.  The project team informed the representatives that there would be similar meetings in the future, and encouraged the municipal representatives to attend.