Illiana Corridor progress

[ChiMilNet]

Will the Illiana get built or be dead, but only time will tell.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2015/06/16/u-s-district-judge-declares-illiana-expressway-federal-approval-invalid/a1tkmab/

U.S. District judge declares Illiana Expressway federal approval 'invalid'
Ruling: Impact study did not consider alternatives, relied on 'faulty' forecasts
Published: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 6:10 p.m. CDT
By LAUREN LEONE—CROSS - lleonecross@shawmedia.com

Considered by some to be a potential nail in the Illiana Expressway project's coffin, a U.S. District Court judge Tuesday ruled the federal government's approval of the $1.3 billion tollway project is invalid.

A critical piece in the Federal High Administration's record of decision – handed down late last year – was "arbitrary and capricious"  and violates federal environmental law, according to U.S. District Court Judge Jorge Alonso.

The action doesn't put a definite end to the bi-state tollway project linking Interstate 55 in Illinois to Interstate 65 in Indiana. But in declaring the federal record of decision and the Tier I environmental impact study invalid, the decision sends Illinois and Indiana transportation officials back to square one without money or backing from the governor's office.

Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Guy Tridgell said via email Tuesday the state agency is still reviewing the ruling and "exploring our options at this time."

"This is a victory,"  said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, which brought the suit to U.S. District Court on behalf of several regional environmental protection groups.

The decision handed down Tuesday noted the federal government's approval of the expressway was based on a faulty "no build" analysis, and failed to consider other alternatives.

"The flawed 'no build' forecast is the foundation for the agencies' projection of future traffic in the study area and their conclusion that the existing roadways cannot adequately serve the future transportation needs,"  the decision stated.

Because that analysis does not substantiate the purpose and need, the FHWA's approval of the ROD and final EIS is arbitrary and capricious and in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act, the ruling added.

The court Tuesday granted the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment.

Learner said the decision is "well-grounded,"  and should be viewed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, who singled out the project earlier this year by placing it on hold, as "the last straw."

"Rauner had already put the Illiana on terminal life support. The state doesn't have any money to pay for it,"  Learner said.

Stacy Myers, with Openlands Chicago, said the ruling is a "tremendous step forward"  for those opposed to the project. She said the ruling "called out" flawed and exaggerated population projections, noting the analysis thereby fails to justify the need for the road.

Supporters have said the controversial $1.5 billion tollway project – which would serve as a 47-mile east-west link from I-55 in Wilmington to I-65 near Lowell, Indiana – would relieve congestion on local roads and promote economic growth.

Let's be honest, this is probably the final nail in the coffin. With that, I truly feel that IDOT needs to focus its funding on widening I-80 from US 30 to IL Route 47. No matter what, it will need it regardless. I still feel if they had made the original plan for this to connect I-80 to I-65, or even potential to tie in to a future Prairie Parkway (i.e. so it could go up to I-88 or even I-90 in the future), this would have been much more feasible and practical. The overall concept of a far south bypass is not ill advised, just not planned with sufficient future accommodation in mind. Another thing that would have helped was reserving right of way at the south end of I-355 to where it could have tied into this as well. I had mixed feelings on this to begin with, and I feel that, in the short term, this could be for the better, but I would worry about 20-30 years down the line.

[US 41]

So the real question now is if Indiana will build the Illiana between I-65 and US 41. Personally I think SR 14 does that job (bypassing St Johns / getting over to 65) pretty well.

Here is my wish list if Indiana builds their section and Illinois doesn't.

1) Name it SR 841.
2) A trumpet interchange at the US 41 interchange rather than a diamond with stub ramps to the west that may never connect to the Illinois part.
3) Build it as a free route.
4) Don't let Walmart / other stores build south of the interchange with 41 and ruin the bypass.

[silverback1065]

So the real question now is if Indiana will build the Illiana between I-65 and US 41. Personally I think SR 14 does that job (bypassing St Johns / getting over to 65) pretty well.

Here is my wish list if Indiana builds their section and Illinois doesn't.

1) Name it SR 841.
2) A trumpet interchange at the US 41 interchange rather than a diamond with stub ramps to the west that may never connect to the Illinois part.
3) Build it as a free route.
4) Don't let Walmart / other stores build south of the interchange with 41 and ruin the bypass.

would this be at all useful though?  if illinois wont build their portion, what's the point of indiana doing their part?  just use the money to 6 lane 65 and 70 instead.

[Stephane Dumas]

So the real question now is if Indiana will build the Illiana between I-65 and US 41. Personally I think SR 14 does that job (bypassing St Johns / getting over to 65) pretty well.

Here is my wish list if Indiana builds their section and Illinois doesn't.

1) Name it SR 841.
2) A trumpet interchange at the US 41 interchange rather than a diamond with stub ramps to the west that may never connect to the Illinois part.
3) Build it as a free route.
4) Don't let Walmart / other stores build south of the interchange with 41 and ruin the bypass.

would this be at all useful though?  if illinois wont build their portion, what's the point of indiana doing their part?  just use the money to 6 lane 65 and 70 instead.

For commuters and long-distance travellers who use to go from Evansville and Terre Haute to Chicagoland, it might be useful to save a couple of traffic lights even if they had to take a route a bit longer to reach I-80/94 from US-41 and IN-63 via a future SR-841 and I-65. 

[Rothman]

So the real question now is if Indiana will build the Illiana between I-65 and US 41. Personally I think SR 14 does that job (bypassing St Johns / getting over to 65) pretty well.

Here is my wish list if Indiana builds their section and Illinois doesn't.

1) Name it SR 841.
2) A trumpet interchange at the US 41 interchange rather than a diamond with stub ramps to the west that may never connect to the Illinois part.
3) Build it as a free route.
4) Don't let Walmart / other stores build south of the interchange with 41 and ruin the bypass.

would this be at all useful though?  if illinois wont build their portion, what's the point of indiana doing their part?  just use the money to 6 lane 65 and 70 instead.

Reminds me of conversations around here regarding I-99 in NY.

[hobsini2]

So the real question now is if Indiana will build the Illiana between I-65 and US 41. Personally I think SR 14 does that job (bypassing St Johns / getting over to 65) pretty well.

Here is my wish list if Indiana builds their section and Illinois doesn't.

1) Name it SR 841.
2) A trumpet interchange at the US 41 interchange rather than a diamond with stub ramps to the west that may never connect to the Illinois part.
3) Build it as a free route.
4) Don't let Walmart / other stores build south of the interchange with 41 and ruin the bypass.

would this be at all useful though?  if illinois wont build their portion, what's the point of indiana doing their part?  just use the money to 6 lane 65 and 70 instead.

For commuters and long-distance travellers who use to go from Evansville and Terre Haute to Chicagoland, it might be useful to save a couple of traffic lights even if they had to take a route a bit longer to reach I-80/94 from US-41 and IN-63 via a future SR-841 and I-65. 

Exactly. I find 41 is a much better way to get to Evansville and Nashville than going on 65.

[NWI_Irish96]

So the real question now is if Indiana will build the Illiana between I-65 and US 41. Personally I think SR 14 does that job (bypassing St Johns / getting over to 65) pretty well.

Here is my wish list if Indiana builds their section and Illinois doesn't.

1) Name it SR 841.
2) A trumpet interchange at the US 41 interchange rather than a diamond with stub ramps to the west that may never connect to the Illinois part.
3) Build it as a free route.
4) Don't let Walmart / other stores build south of the interchange with 41 and ruin the bypass.

would this be at all useful though?  if illinois wont build their portion, what's the point of indiana doing their part?  just use the money to 6 lane 65 and 70 instead.

Very much yes please.

[adt1982]

Rauner has signed a bill approving $5.5 million in additional money for the Illiana.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150709/BLOGS02/150709836/rauner-okays-new-spending-on-illiana-despite-promised-ban

[iBallasticwolf2]

Rauner has signed a bill approving $5.5 million in additional money for the Illiana.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150709/BLOGS02/150709836/rauner-okays-new-spending-on-illiana-despite-promised-ban

[Lyon Wonder]

Though this is getting into fictional territory, I think a completed Illinani could be part of a rerouted I-80 between Morris, IL and Toledo, OH.  This reroute of I-80 would utilize the Illiana to I-65, and from there a freeway that mostly utilizes an upgraded US 30 to Fort Wayne, and takes the already mostly upgraded US 24 freeway to the I-90 Ohio turnpike in Toledo.  Of course for this pipedream reroute of I-80 to work the Illiana would have to be extended west to I-80 near Morris, and the expressway US 30 in IN would have to be upgraded to interstate standards too.

And the existing I-80 in IL between Morris and I-294 would have to be given a 3DI.

[silverback1065]

Though this is getting into fictional territory, I think a completed Illinani could be part of a rerouted I-80 between Morris, IL and Toledo, OH.  This reroute of I-80 would utilize the Illiana to I-65, and from there a freeway that mostly utilizes an upgraded US 30 to Fort Wayne, and takes the already mostly upgraded US 24 freeway to the I-90 Ohio turnpike in Toledo.  Of course for this pipedream reroute of I-80 to work the Illiana would have to be extended west to I-80 near Morris, and the expressway US 30 in IN would have to be upgraded to interstate standards too.

If they actually were planning to reroute 80 onto it, I actually think this project would happen. They could tout the same crap they used for 69. (Important for trucks and the economy)
Us 30 should be an interstate quality highway imo.

[Brandon]

Rauner has signed a bill approving $5.5 million in additional money for the Illiana.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150709/BLOGS02/150709836/rauner-okays-new-spending-on-illiana-despite-promised-ban

WOOT!!!!!

He finally sees the light about spending on growing areas and the infrastructure they need.

Fuck Cook County

[Rothman]

Rauner has signed a bill approving $5.5 million in additional money for the Illiana.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150709/BLOGS02/150709836/rauner-okays-new-spending-on-illiana-despite-promised-ban

WOOT!!!!!

He finally sees the light about spending on growing areas and the infrastructure they need.

Fuck Cook County

Read the article.  It's about paying the consultants the rest of their contract and that's it.

[ET21]

Rauner has signed a bill approving $5.5 million in additional money for the Illiana.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150709/BLOGS02/150709836/rauner-okays-new-spending-on-illiana-despite-promised-ban

WOOT!!!!!

He finally sees the light about spending on growing areas and the infrastructure they need.

Fuck Cook County

"The governor's office says the money will be used to pay consultants to wind down the project and to handle any costs from continuing litigation. Most of the latter is coming from foes who want to drive a legal stake through the road's heart.

A Rauner aide adds that the money is only being reappropriated from last year, and just because the state is allowed to spend the money doesn't mean it will."

[Brandon]

Rauner has signed a bill approving $5.5 million in additional money for the Illiana.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150709/BLOGS02/150709836/rauner-okays-new-spending-on-illiana-despite-promised-ban

WOOT!!!!!

He finally sees the light about spending on growing areas and the infrastructure they need.

Fuck Cook County

"The governor's office says the money will be used to pay consultants to wind down the project and to handle any costs from continuing litigation. Most of the latter is coming from foes who want to drive a legal stake through the road's heart.

A Rauner aide adds that the money is only being reappropriated from last year, and just because the state is allowed to spend the money doesn't mean it will."

Damn.  Again, fuck him and Madigan.  We'll just have to build our own stuff here in Will County while Cook continues to empty and get money anyway.

[Quimby]

Let's be honest, this is probably the final nail in the coffin. With that, I truly feel that IDOT needs to focus its funding on widening I-80 from US 30 to IL Route 47. No matter what, it will need it regardless. I still feel if they had made the original plan for this to connect I-80 to I-65, or even potential to tie in to a future Prairie Parkway (i.e. so it could go up to I-88 or even I-90 in the future), this would have been much more feasible and practical. The overall concept of a far south bypass is not ill advised, just not planned with sufficient future accommodation in mind. Another thing that would have helped was reserving right of way at the south end of I-355 to where it could have tied into this as well. I had mixed feelings on this to begin with, and I feel that, in the short term, this could be for the better, but I would worry about 20-30 years down the line.

In my opinion, they aligned it too far south to the point where enough people saw it as a road in the middle of nowhere that they'd never use.  They should have selected a route close enough to 80/94 for it to be a practical bypass for the traffic mess on the Borman Expy.  Expecting people to drive 20 miles south on I-55 and then 20 miles north again on I-65 to avoid the NW Indiana bottleneck is a bit much. 

[Brandon]

Let's be honest, this is probably the final nail in the coffin. With that, I truly feel that IDOT needs to focus its funding on widening I-80 from US 30 to IL Route 47. No matter what, it will need it regardless. I still feel if they had made the original plan for this to connect I-80 to I-65, or even potential to tie in to a future Prairie Parkway (i.e. so it could go up to I-88 or even I-90 in the future), this would have been much more feasible and practical. The overall concept of a far south bypass is not ill advised, just not planned with sufficient future accommodation in mind. Another thing that would have helped was reserving right of way at the south end of I-355 to where it could have tied into this as well. I had mixed feelings on this to begin with, and I feel that, in the short term, this could be for the better, but I would worry about 20-30 years down the line.

In my opinion, they aligned it too far south to the point where enough people saw it as a road in the middle of nowhere that they'd never use.  They should have selected a route close enough to 80/94 for it to be a practical bypass for the traffic mess on the Borman Expy.  Expecting people to drive 20 miles south on I-55 and then 20 miles north again on I-65 to avoid the NW Indiana bottleneck is a bit much. 

However, it was only going to be 3-5 miles south of the major intermodal centers at the west end of the tollway, near I-55, so it really wasn't a bit much.

[thenetwork]

Let's be honest, this is probably the final nail in the coffin. With that, I truly feel that IDOT needs to focus its funding on widening I-80 from US 30 to IL Route 47. No matter what, it will need it regardless. I still feel if they had made the original plan for this to connect I-80 to I-65, or even potential to tie in to a future Prairie Parkway (i.e. so it could go up to I-88 or even I-90 in the future), this would have been much more feasible and practical. The overall concept of a far south bypass is not ill advised, just not planned with sufficient future accommodation in mind. Another thing that would have helped was reserving right of way at the south end of I-355 to where it could have tied into this as well. I had mixed feelings on this to begin with, and I feel that, in the short term, this could be for the better, but I would worry about 20-30 years down the line.

In my opinion, they aligned it too far south to the point where enough people saw it as a road in the middle of nowhere that they'd never use.  They should have selected a route close enough to 80/94 for it to be a practical bypass for the traffic mess on the Borman Expy.  Expecting people to drive 20 miles south on I-55 and then 20 miles north again on I-65 to avoid the NW Indiana bottleneck is a bit much. 

However, it was only going to be 3-5 miles south of the major intermodal centers at the west end of the tollway, near I-55, so it really wasn't a bit much.

If they would have linked it directly to I-80 on the west end, then it wouldn't have looked so bad.

[02 Park Ave]

It was going to eventually link up with the I-355.

[I-39]

It was going to eventually link up with the I-355.

In early plans, but that was dropped years ago. I-355 will probably not be extended further south.

[mgk920]

It was going to eventually link up with the I-355.

In early plans, but that was dropped years ago. I-355 will probably not be extended further south.

Due to development in the way, they'd likely have build a westward crossover (I-88/355 style?) along I-80 through that broad 'S' curve to economically extend I-355 southward.

I do remember seeing map scribblings to that effect in the New Lenox village plan back in the 1990s(?).

Mike

[Rick Powell]

Due to development in the way, they'd likely have build a westward crossover (I-88/355 style?) along I-80 through that broad 'S' curve to economically extend I-355 southward.

I do remember seeing map scribblings to that effect in the New Lenox village plan back in the 1990s(?).

Mike

New Lenox actually had a corridor reserved for the I-355 south of I-80 extension at one time.  The corridor was quietly dropped with the construction of a residential subdivision and I think a new planned Lincoln-Way HS campus; apparently the village couldn't, or wouldn't, hold off development long enough to save the planning corridor.  The concept was also dropped from Will County's long range plan a short time later.    FWIW, the corridor did have a jog to the west of the current I-355 connection at I-80, similar to the I-355/I-88 interchange.  What would have been difficult to route an I-355 extension south of 80 would now be that much harder.

[Revive 755]

There has been at least one article in the Chicagoland newspapers indicating that Will County may look into four-laning Williamton - Peotone Road for somewhere over $200 million if the Illiana completely dies.  Now if they do go that route, it would certainly be nice for the design to allow for upgrading most of the corridor to a freeway/tollway later on.

EDIT:  Didn't realize the Access Justification Reports had been posted for some of the Illiana Interchanges.  Page 193/298 of this 16 MB pdf has a conceptual signing plan for the Illiana at I-57.  Interesting how the control city is Kankakee for I-57 when at I-80 Memphis is used.

EDIT2:Page 51/323 of this pdf contains a conceptual signing plan for I-55 at the Illiana.

[Henry]

Needless to say, the Illiana is quickly becoming the 21st century's answer to the Crosstown Expressway, a major corridor that could've been very useful in helping through traffic avoid the downtown Loop.

[Stephane Dumas]

I spotted this interesting rant written in June 2013 about the Illiana expressway.
http://tollroadsnews.com/news/illiana-expressway-south-of-chicago-gets-lots-of-political-accolades-but-viability-in-doubt