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The recommended roadway improvements and transit connections represent a system that, if put in place by the year 2020, will serve transportation demand, respect the quality of life in Will County, set the stage for an increase in public transportation, and, finally, develop a more proactive program of transportation planning initiatives. The plan is intended to be integrated within an overall multimodal context and represents a significant effort to achieve improved land use/transportation relationships. While more details are identified for the roadway elements, assertive action is necessary to achieve increased transit and non-motorized use in the long term to help preserve and enhance overall mobility within the region. The plan places a priority on the improvement of the existing transportation system wherever feasible.

This chapter first discusses the overall concept of the plan, followed by the general rationale for selection of the various plan elements and a description of the proposed roadway, transit, and non-motorized improvements. The roadway elements are discussed in terms of functional hierarchy, beginning with the regional roadways and then moving to the lower arterial system.

Overall Concept

The overall concept of the plan rests on an understanding of the relationship between land use policy and transportation facilities and service. Various modal elements have been examined in developing the framework for this plan, including automobile facilities, transit, bikeways, pedestrian improvements, interstate/intercity travel modes (air and bus), and goods movement modes (air, rail, truck), as well as multi-use recreational trails.

The purpose of the recommendation put forth is to define a set of actions in this plan. The actions included in this plan are of three kinds:

1. Actions concerning the implementation of transportation improvement projects during the planning period (to year 2020).
2. Actions concerning the protection of important transportation opportunities for the planning and post-planning period (beyond year 2020).
3. Actions concerning the institution of planning policies to guide the land use and transportation decisions to be made on a day-to-day basis during the planning period.

It is important to understand that all of these kinds of actions are essential for a successful plan. Too often, a plan's focus is on transportation improvement projects, but an effective plan needs to "see" further than the planning period. As will be discussed, the need for some improvements may not develop before the year 2020; yet the likelihood is very high that certain rights-of-way and/or land-use relationships should be protected for the long-range situation. Moreover, the plan is influenced by the possibility of a new regional airport to serve the greater Chicago area. The facility, and related growth, would have a major impact. If the airport does not become a reality, it will be easier to defer plan elements than add them. Further, given the limitations of possible funding during the planning period, some improvements may need to be deferred until funding can be developed. As such, some projects may not be feasible until after the year 2020. The physical and functional feasibility of such projects needs to be protected. A long-range plan can be an effective means to guarantee that these long-term potential improvements will have a chance for future consideration.

Finally, the institution of policies to guide day-to-day decisions about land-use and transportation recognizes that the plan concerns "change." The metropolitan area will grow; changes will take place. The plan is a means to guide the evolution of change from existing conditions to improved future conditions. Lack of such policies may result in change that achieves little or no improvement; or possible future conditions could be worse (e.g., mobility could be reduced, transportation could be less cost-effective).

The recommended plan also considers the following three basic principles:

1. Transportation services should be developed as a system. This implies several attributes:

2. Effective connection to the regional system.
3. Continuity of routes across or through the county.
4. Balance of system capacity with travel demand, as generated by the type of land use.
5. Equitable quality of service for the entire county.

The specific aspects of these attributes require coordination between state, county, and local governmental agencies. Regional connections involve the state and other counties (DuPage, Cook, Kendall, Kane, Kankakee, and Lake-Indiana). Subregional connections may involve these counties, but also municipalities, corridors (e.g., eastern Will County), and townships. Coordination with multiple agencies depends on finding sufficient mutual benefits resulting from possible system improvements. These benefits would be measured primarily by traffic capacity, accessibility, and capital cost and by efficient delivery of services.

2. Transportation should be positively related to land use; that is, the relationship between the two will be mutually supportive and beneficial. This focuses on overall consistency with county development policy, which is assumed to reflect the combination of county (for unincorporated land) and local agency plans and policies.

3. Given the basic considerations of system and development relationships, a final overriding countywide consideration is the financial investment represented in transportation improvements. Important aspects are the distribution of capital investments and affordability. The latter would reflect the anticipated level of financial resources for capital costs and for costs that reflect the increased operating and maintenance expense.

Rationale for Selection

The recommended transportation plan represents the integration of transportation elements that were selected based on the results of the concept evaluation process, as well as discussions with county officials and residents during various workshops and public presentations. In effect, it is a combination of the highest-priority improvements from each of the three transportation concepts discussed in Chapters 4 and 5. Specifically, the recommended plan is based on the following considerations:

1. The plan elements satisfy the goals and objectives described in Chapter 3.
2. The plan elements are buildable, considering local concerns over alignment and the potential for negative environmental impacts.
3. The plan elements attempt to address the need to protect corridors to serve transportation demand beyond the year 2020.
4. The plan elements provide for future land use and transportation planning initiatives in crucial transportation corridors.

Beyond these considerations, the recommended transportation plan for Will County has employed a very tailored approach. Previous chapters in this report have identified the fact that there is no shortage of plans. A wide variety of agencies have and are developing plans for transportation facilities to be located in Will County. One of the challenges of this planning process has been to sort out all of these plans and projects relative to the goals, objectives, and transportation needs of Will County.

This sorting out activity means that the resulting recommended plan is an amalgamation of elements from other agency plans, with those identified in this planning effort. The attempt has been to assess which elements of other plans are consistent with Will County goals, objectives, and policies and which are needed, based on the travel forecasts prepared specifically for Will County by CATS.

The recommended plan, then, contains (1) descriptions of projects initiated by other agencies and simply repeated herein and (2) descriptions of projects that are new additions and not included in other agency plans.

Roadway Elements

The concept behind the roadway elements of the plan is to upgrade the existing arterial system in developing areas of the county. These improvements will provide needed accessibility and alternative routes for local travel, thereby reserving the regional road system for moderate and longer-distance trips. In developed areas of the county, the regional roads would be widened to increase capacity and reduce potential congestion. Where the road system cannot be upgraded within urban centers because of land use impacts, roadway extensions or parallel road improvements are proposed to serve as bypass corridors to alleviate severe congestion.

The plan includes one major new regional corridor, for which right-of-way will need to be preserved when a final alignment is selected. This is the "second ring" circumferential (South Suburban Tollway or I-355) located between I-80 (just east of Cedar Road) and IL 394, with a potential linkage to Indiana. The plan also includes the widening of existing interstate facilities (I-80, I-55, and I-57) and construction or improvement of freeway interchanges to increase capacity and improve access within Will County. Other regional roadway improvements include expanded capacity on the state highway system, including U.S. Route 30, U.S. Route 45, U.S. Route 6, IL 59, IL 53, IL 43, and IL 171.

Supplementing these regional improvements, the plan would enhance/improve several subregional arterial corridors serving the county: Weber/Larkin Avenue, Laraway Road, Caton Farm Road, Boughton Road, and St. Francis/LaPorte Road, among others. These corridors provide key cross-county connections. Emphasis is placed on improvements to the system of Strategic Regional Arterials (SRA).

From this network of regional and subregional arterial corridors, local arterial streets can be linked. New arterial segments will be needed in the high-growth northwest sector and in the central Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area.

The potential development of a third regional airport in the Peotone area would necessitate further improvements to the regional and local arterial system to provide adequate access to the new terminal and airport support facilities.

Regional Road System

The plan recommends improvements to the regional road system within Will County. These improvements are designed to accommodate growth in medium to long-distance trips. The regional roadways include fully access-controlled expressways and the state highway facilities.

I-55

The I-55 project would have three elements:

1. Widening from two lanes in each direction to three lanes for a 13-mile section between Naperville Road and I-80. This improvement, which is included in the CATS 2020 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), would provide relief from the growing congestion on I-55 and provide needed roadway capacity to support continued growth in the northwest subarea of Will County. The CATS traffic volume projections for this section of I-55 show a near doubling of traffic over the next 20 years, with daily traffic volumes ranging from 100,000 to 150,000 vehicles per day.

2. Upgraded interchange at IL 126. A new interchange at 143rd Street had been proposed when the modeling of roadway concepts was originally performed for the Will County Transportation Plan and was recently evaluated by IDOT and the Village of Plainfield. Design alternatives included either a full-movement interchange that would replace the existing IL 126 interchange (which only provides access to and from the north) or a directional interchange that would complement the IL 126 interchange by providing access to and from the south only. However, public sentiment in the Village of Plainfield was directed toward upgrading the existing I-55 interchange at IL 126 to accommodate all movements rather than build a new interchange at 143rd Street. A feasibility study initiated by the village showed that both the 143rd Street and IL 126 interchange options were feasible, but recommended 143rd Street as the preferred option. Nevertheless, the Village Board has decided to pursue Phase I engineering studies to upgrade the IL 126 interchange.

The upgraded interchange, in combination with the extension of 143rd Street from IL 126 to IL 59 and further widening west to U.S. Route 30, will improve access between the Village of Plainfield and I-55 and will reroute truck traffic around downtown Plainfield.

3. New interchange at Caton Farm Road. A new interchange at Caton Farm Road would serve the developing areas of the City of Joliet and provide an important east-west connection with the SRA system. Currently, there is no interstate access to this area between U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 52, a distance of 4.4 miles.

I-80

This project, also in the CATS 2020 RTP, involves the widening of a 20-mile stretch of I-80 between U.S. Route 45 and I-55 from two lanes in each direction to three. The Will County plan supports this improvement, which will relieve congestion along this major cross-country truck route and will improve access to the growing Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area of the county. Daily traffic levels along this section of I-80 are projected to increase from 70,000 to 90,000 over the next 20 years.

There is presently an eight-mile distance between the existing interchanges on I-80 at U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 45. This interval was acceptable for rural Will County, but the rapid development of the region requires better access to the expressway system. A new interchange with the proposed extension of I-355 will be created in the area just east of Cedar Road. Another new interchange has been proposed at Wolf Road to improve access to the Mokena and Orland Park communities. Wolf Road was selected in the I-80 Corridor Planning Study as the most viable future interchange location within the I-80 corridor. It should be noted, however, that the I-80 Corridor Planning Council is not presently recommending any particular location as the site for a future interchange, nor is it precluding any particular location from future consideration as an interchange site.

Wolf Road was recently widened to two lanes with a center left-turn lane, and the Village of Mokena presently views this as the ultimate configuration for Wolf Road. Any further widening through the village would create significant land use disruptions. If an interchange is developed at Wolf Road, traffic levels on Wolf Road are projected to increase from approximately 8,000 vehicles per day to 18,000 vpd by the year 2020. The existing three-lane cross section would not be adequate to efficiently accommodate this volume of traffic.

The corridor study also recommended that a traffic mitigation plan be developed as a first stage in the interchange feasibility study to protect the residential and commercial land uses in downtown Mokena. If no new interchange with I-80 is constructed, local east-west roads through New Lenox and Mokena will carry a higher proportion of interstate-bound traffic, and interstate access to the developing areas of Orland Park will be limited to the U.S. Route 45 interchange two miles to the east of Wolf Road. This interchange would also require that the Village of Orland Park improve Wolf Road to the north of the proposed interchange.

I-57

The I-57 project would have two elements:

1. Widening of a 13-mile section from two lanes in each direction to three between I-80 and Manhattan-Monee Road, another CATS 2020 RTP project, to serve the growing travel demand in southern Cook County and eastern Will County. Three miles of I-57 would be improved in Will County. If the proposed South Suburban Airport is developed, this widening project would extend farther south to the west airport access road near Offner Road. This project is necessitated by the expected increase in daily traffic levels, from 45,000 to 85,000 over the next 20 years as southern Cook County and eastern Will County continue to develop. Traffic levels could reach more than 100,000 vehicles per day if the airport is built.

2. A new interchange at Stuenkel Road would provide direct regional access to the developing residential and commercial areas of University Park, the Industrial Park, the Metra Electric commuter rail line, and the expanding facilities at Governors State University. Presently, the nearest interstate access to this area is two miles to the north in Richton Park (at Sauk Trail) or two miles to the south in Monee at Manhattan-Monee Road. Stuenkel Road would be improved between Harlem Avenue (IL 43) and Steger-Monee Road in combination with the new interchange.

IL 59

IL 59 is an SRA in Will County. IDOT's 1993 SRA study for this arterial includes four segments in Will County. In general, the roadway would be widened to a four-lane facility with a mountable or barrier median to accommodate left-turn lanes at intersections. The improved roadway would be developed within an 80- to 180-foot right-of-way between I-55 and the DuPage County line. Some sections of IL 59 are already widened, such as Main Street to U.S. Route 30 in downtown Plainfield and 103rd Street to the DuPage County line. IL 59 serves as the primary north-south artery in the northwest subarea of Will County. The CATS daily traffic projections support the need for this improvement by showing an increase from between 10,000 and 20,000 to as high as 30,000 over the next 20 years as Plainfield, Joliet, Shorewood, Naperville, and the unincorporated areas of northwest Will County continue to develop. Wheatland Township in particular is experiencing one of the largest increases in residential units in Will County.

Other elements of this SRA study include an interconnected traffic signal system along all four segments, the lengthening of the I-55 southbound on-ramp from IL 59, dual left-turn lanes at the Renwick Road intersection, and the possible closing of direct access between Plainfield-Naperville Road and IL 59. If this were to occur, Plainfield-Naperville Road would be realigned to the south, and IL 126 (Main Street) would be used to access IL 59. An alternative option being considered by the Plainfield Village Board includes traffic signal modifications at the IL 59/Plainfield-Naperville Road intersection rather than closing access between the two arterials.

U.S. Route 30

The plan includes improvement to two segments of U.S. Route 30, both of which would be widened from two lanes to either four or five:

1. The western segment extends for 19.5 miles between the Kane County line and I-80. The expanded roadway would improve traffic flow through portions of Plainfield and the west side of Joliet. The project would involve management of access. The roadway would be widened to a four-lane section, with either a striped median or mountable/barrier median accommodating left-turn lanes, except within the downtown Plainfield and Joliet areas, where right-of-way is limited and severe land use impacts would occur if the roadway were expanded. Transitions from the proposed four-lane section would occur in four locations: (1) west of the DuPage River bridge, (2) east of IL 59, (3) at Raynor Street, and (4) at Collins Street. The Village of Plainfield has suggested reassigning the state route designation of U.S. Route 30 to Renwick Road (between U.S. Route 30 and IL 59) and IL 59 (between Renwick Road and U.S. Route 30).

The travel demand estimates support the need to improve the western segment of U.S. Route 30 to a continuous four-lane facility. Daily traffic volumes to the east and west of Plainfield are projected to increase from approximately 10,000 vehicles per day to up to 18,000 by 2020, more than a two-lane regional facility can efficiently accommodate.

It should be noted that the section between I-55 and Caton Farm Road is an SRA connector as part of the U.S. Route 6 SRA project, and a five-lane section already exists between I-55 and Hennepin Drive and at Caton Farm Road.

Widening on the east side of Joliet would begin at Collins Street and extend to the I-80 interchange. U.S. Route 30 (Cass Street) is presently a four-lane, undivided facility between Collins Street and the EJ&E railroad overpass. This section could be widened to create a median for left-turning vehicles. From the railroad overpass east to Washington Street, a four-lane section would be built, which would require the reconstruction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad underpass. A four-lane section is the maximum width possible due to the proximity of the Mt. Olivet cemetery and adjacent businesses. U.S. Route 30 presently has a five-lane cross section between Washington Street and I-80.

2. The eastern segment of U.S. Route 30, from I-80 to Harlem Avenue, is a designated SRA. This 10.3-mile segment is proposed in the IDOT SRA study for U.S. Route 30 to be widened from two lanes to four (with striped or mountable/barrier median) within an approximately 120-foot right-of-way. As the principal east-west arterial through the growing Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area, U.S. Route 30 is projected to experience significant growth in traffic, from between 10,000 and 17,000 vehicles per day to as high as 30,000 vehicles per day over the next 20 years based on the CATS projections evaluated in this study. The section from I-80 east to William Street is already completed as a five-lane facility. There is a clear need to continue this widened section from William Street east to Harlem Avenue.

Other improvements recommended as part of this SRA study include realignment of Vine Street at U.S. Route 30; an interconnected, closed-loop signal system between I-80 and Haven Avenue; realignment of Spencer Road with Marley Road; and major intersection improvements at Schoolhouse Road, Wolf Road, U.S. Route 45, and Harlem Avenue. Since U.S. Route 45 and Harlem Avenue are also SRA routes, dual left-turn lanes are proposed at all intersection approaches.

U.S. Route 45

U.S. Route 45 is an SRA in Will County from 183rd Street at the Cook County line to County Line Road at the Kankakee County line, although only two segments of U.S. Route 45 are proposed for upgrading in the Will County plan to accommodate growth in the Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area.

1. Widening of U.S. Route 45 from two through lanes in each direction to three from 191st Street through the I-80 interchange to 143rd Street in Cook County. This improvement will enhance traffic flow at the I-80 interchange. Traffic volumes on U.S. Route 45 just south of I-80 presently exceed 30,000 vehicles per day, and the CATS projections show this volume could exceed 40,000 vehicles per day by 2020, indicating the need for this improvement. The IDOT SRA study calls for the existing bridges that carry U.S. Route 45 over I-80 to be widened, with modifications to the ramp geometry. As part of this project, all approaches to the 191st Street intersection would require widening. This would entail the need for up to 40 feet of additional right-of-way on the northbound approach and up to 30 feet on the southbound approach.
2. Widening of U.S. Route 45 between 191st Street and Manhattan-Monee Road to a four-lane divided facility with a barrier or mountable median accommodating left-turn lanes at intersections. U.S. Route 45 has already been widened to a four-lane divided section between 191st Street and Nebraska Avenue. The Will County plan calls for continued widening south to Manhattan-Monee Road to occur as development extends from Frankfort into the unincorporated areas of Will County. Traffic projections show a growth from approximately 5,000 vehicles per day to 13,000 vehicles per day by 2020.

Between Nebraska Avenue and Manhattan-Monee Road, the proposed IDOT SRA design of U.S. Route 45 would transition from a four-lane suburban arterial section with curb and gutter to a four-lane divided rural highway within a 190-foot right-of-way.

The SRA study also recommended the installation of traffic signals, when warranted, at the intersections of U.S. Route 45 with Manhattan-Monee Road and Laraway Road. Access control specifications would include maintaining a minimal signal spacing of one-half to one mile, one-quarter-mile minimum spacing for median breaks, and the construction of frontage roads as development occurs in order to minimize direct access to U.S. Route 45. Other associated projects would include reconstruction of the EJ&E overpass.

IL 43 (Harlem Avenue)

The IDOT SRA study for IL 43 proposed widening from two through lanes in each direction to three between U.S. Route 30 and 183rd Street, with further widening to 175th Street in Tinley Park. The Harlem Avenue corridor is expected to be one of the fastest growing residential areas in Will County and southwest Cook County, as development continues in Frankfort, Tinley Park, Matteson, and Richton Park. CATS traffic volume projections performed for this study show an increase from approximately 14,000 vehicles per day to more than 30,000 between U.S. Route 30 and I-80. The Will County plan concurs with the IDOT study on the need to improve this facility. Other recommendations of this SRA study include redesign of the U.S. Route 30 intersection to include dual left-turn lanes and a separate northbound right-turn lane, new traffic signals at the North Avenue and Benton Drive intersections (when warranted), realignment of 191st Street/Oak Park Avenue, and reconstruction of the I-80 interchange to create longer ramps.

Not part of the IDOT SRA study, but recommended nonetheless in this plan, is the further widening of Harlem Avenue from U.S. Route 30 south to Laraway Road/Sauk Trail. This segment of Harlem Avenue would be widened from a two-lane facility to four lanes with mountable or barrier median. Traffic volumes along this segment are projected to be between 15,000 and 18,000 vehicles per day by 2020.

U.S. Route 6

This project would involve widening of U.S. Route 6 (Maple Road/Southwest Highway) from two lanes to four (with mountable or barrier median) from just east of Briggs Street in Joliet to Wolf Road in Orland Park. Traffic demand along this corridor is projected to increase by up to 50 percent by 2020 (to approximately 15,000 vehicles per day) as growth occurs in New Lenox, Mokena, Joliet, and Orland Park. There will be an interchange with U.S. Route 6 on the approved extension of I-355 from I-55 to I-80. Commercial land uses that may develop around this future interchange will contribute to the increase in traffic demand. Signalization of the intersections with Parker Road, Cedar Road, Gougar Road, and Farrel Road would occur as warranted.

IL 53

The proposed project for IL 53 extends from Boughton Road in Bolingbrook south to Ruby Street in Joliet. Recognizing the importance of IL 53 as both a major traffic carrier and development access route, this project would upgrade and widen IL 53 in two segments. The north segment, located between Boughton Road and Lily Cache Lane, is projected to experience 30 to 35 percent growth in traffic (up to approximately 37,000 vehicles per day) by the year 2020 resulting from DuPage County trip linkages via IL 53 to the north and Boughton Road to the east. This segment would be widened from two through lanes in each direction to three to continue the cross section that exists from Lily Cache Lane south to the I-55 interchange.

The south segment, located between I-55 and just north of Ruby Street, is strongly influenced by commercial development in the corridor and by river crossing connections. Traffic volumes along this segment are also projected to grow by approximately 30 percent (to approximately 33,000 vehicles per day) by 2020. Widening this segment would include the construction of a median and turn lanes. These improvements would have capacity, safety, and access design control objectives. South of Caton Farm Road, the railroad underpass would need to be widened. The approach to Ruby Street requires special design features because of major turning movements to and from the Ruby Street Bridge. Widening of this approach could not be achieved without significant land use impacts. Therefore, the widening project would end to the north of this intersection.

IL 171

This project includes upgrading and widening IL 171 between New Avenue in Lockport and 135th Street with the potential for further widening into Cook County to accommodate increasing travel demand between Lockport and I-55 and the economic growth corridors in eastern DuPage County. Traffic levels are projected to increase on IL 171 from approximately 11,000 to 16,000 vehicles per day by 2020. The future interchange (between 135th and 143rd Street) with the approved I-355 extension will also improve access to the Lockport/Lemont area and increase travel demand on IL 171. IL 171 would be reconstructed as a four-lane facility, including a mountable or barrier median sufficient to accommodate left-turn lanes at key intersections such as 143rd Street and 135th Street.

Arterial Street System

The existing arterial street system is upgraded in key regions of the county to support the regional system of highways and respond to the increase in demand generated by development. These key regions are areas where the existing regional system currently operates overcapacity or is projected to be overcapacity by the year 2020 as a result of significant development, particularly in the northwest, north central, and west central sections of the county. Because the projected growth is outstripping the financial resources for roadway improvements, the recommended projects are considered more "reactive" than "proactive" in terms of providing mobility and accessibility.

Most of the arterial roadways to be improved in the plan fall under the jurisdiction of the county or municipal roadway agencies. Therefore, implementation of the plan requires coordinated participation among these agencies as well as with the development community. This participation would not be limited to just coordinating roadway alignments and general design criteria, but would include agreements concerning the functional hierarchy of the roadway system, access management policies, and application of land use policies that would be consistent with transportation system capabilities.

It should be noted that many of these projects are long-range in nature and probably would not be implemented until the later years of the planning period.

Bell Road

The IDOT SRA study for Bell Road includes the area from IL 7 (159th Street) across the Cook County line to Archer Avenue at Calumet Sag Road. This two-lane roadway (within an existing 54- to 100-foot right-of-way) presently carries approximately 15,000 vehicles per day, which reflects the use of Bell Road as a primary connection between the growing Homer Township/New Lenox area, I-55, and the eastern DuPage County villages along the IL 83 corridor. The CATS traffic projections show daily traffic volumes increasing to up to 21,000 vehicles per day by 2020, which validates the need to improve this facility. As proposed in the IDOT SRA study for Bell Road, the roadway would be widened to a four-lane facility, with a mountable or barrier median to accommodate left-turn lanes, within a 120-foot right-of-way. Other Will County-related recommendations of this SRA study include the construction of a two-lane frontage road on the east side of Bell Road between Homer Junior High School and Cross of Glory Lutheran Church and new traffic signal installations at Meadow View Lane and 151st Street, as traffic volumes warrant.

Larkin Avenue

Larkin Avenue, which is the first segment of the Larkin Avenue/Weber Road/Naperville Road SRA corridor, extends from I-80 to Knapp Road. This SRA corridor will serve as a principal north-south route between Joliet and the developing areas of Naperville, Bolingbrook, and Romeoville. Average daily traffic volumes on Larkin are projected to increase approximately 25 percent by 2020, from 32,000 vehicles per day to approximately 40,000. The recommendations of the SRA study for Larkin Avenue include roadway widening from two through lanes in each direction to three, plus an 18-foot median for left-turn lanes within a 110-foot right-of-way. An additional 30 feet of right-of-way would need to be acquired for this improvement, and significant land use impacts would result to numerous commercial establishments between McDonough Street and Jefferson Street and residences north of Jefferson Street. Therefore, this project may not be feasible until travel demand and congestion reach a level where widening is the only solution. This could possibly occur beyond the 20-year planning period.

Other recommendations of the SRA study include dual left-turn lanes within a 30-foot median at the intersections of McDonough Street and U.S. Route 30. Between Theodore Street and U.S. Route 30, where three southbound lanes already exist, only a third northbound lane would be needed. Access would be controlled along this arterial by limiting minor intersections to right-turn movements only.

Weber Road

As the second segment of the Larkin Avenue/Weber Road/Naperville Road SRA corridor, all 9.5 miles of Weber Road from Knapp Road to Naperville Road would be widened from two lanes in each direction to three within a 110-foot right-of-way. The CATS travel demand projections for this facility show a 25 percent growth in traffic, from approximately 25,000 vehicles per day to 35,000. This level of growth on one of the principal north-south arterials in northwest Will County necessitates this improvement to maintain efficient traffic flow. The SRA study suggests that this widening would occur on either the east or west side of the street to minimize right-of-way acquisition. The SRA study includes dual left-turn lanes at the intersections of Caton Farm Road and Renwick Road. At the north end of the project, Weber Road would be realigned with Naperville Road to create continuous north-south traffic flow between Naperville Road to the north and Weber Road to the south. This would be achieved by constructing a new S-shaped alignment within a 120-foot right-of-way around the southeast corner of the Clow International Airport property and vacating the existing segment of Weber Road that intersects with Naperville Road. The existing segment of Naperville road between the vacated section of Weber Road and the new Weber Road/Naperville Road connection would be realigned westward to intersect Weber Road at a right angle (T-type intersection), which would be signalized.

Naperville Road

The third segment of the Larkin Avenue/Weber Road/Naperville Road SRA corridor would be an approximately one-half-mile section between Boughton Road and the location where the realigned section of Weber Road ties into Naperville Road (approximately one-quarter mile north of the existing Naperville Road/Weber Road intersection). The design proposed in the SRA study would widen this roadway from two through lanes in each direction to three within a 120-foot right-of-way to provide continuity of the six-lane SRA corridor. The intersection with Boughton Road would be expanded to accommodate dual left-turn lanes on all four approaches.

Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road/Cedar Road/IL 7 SRA

These arterials comprise IDOT's U.S. Route 6 SRA corridor, which extends from IL 59 to IL 83/Torrence Avenue in Cook County. The CATS travel demand projections evaluated in this study validate the need to create a higher-capacity, continuous east-west arterial connecting the west central and north central subareas of the county. This SRA facility would attract a high volume of traffic (15,000 to 30,000 vehicles per day), would provide a bypass of the established urban centers in Plainfield and Lockport, and would relieve congestion on the existing Des Plaines River bridges (IL 7, 135th Street, and Ruby Street). A description of the proposed IDOT design for the three Will County segments of this project are as follows:

1. The first segment extends along Caton Farm Road and Bruce Road from IL 59 near Plainfield to Cedar Road near Lockport. The highlights of this project, as described in the IDOT SRA study, include the development of a four-lane roadway (80- to 100-foot right-of-way) with a raised median to accommodate left-turn lanes, a new bridge over the Des Plaines River to a new Bruce Road alignment (as proposed in the 1991 Lockport Township study), widened bridges over the DuPage River and I-55, and traffic signal installations (as warranted) at IL 53/7, IL 171, Briggs Street, Cedar Road, and the proposed I-55 interchange ramps. Access along this SRA will be managed to limit median breaks to one-quarter-mile intervals. Will County has recently widened Caton Farm Road between IL 59 and Essington Road and has jurisdictionally transferred ownership of this segment to the City of Joliet.

Clearly, the most immediate need for this SRA corridor is the new Des Plaines River bridge. The existing two-lane IL 7 bridge in Lockport is presently the only major river crossing beRuby Street in Joliet and the recently rebuilt 135th Street in Romeoville, a distance of four miles. In carrying more than 25,000 vehicles per day, this bridge is operating at capacity. A new crossing between Lockport and Joliet is needed because of the continued growth in Joliet, Lockport, and Homer Township. Year 2020 traffic projections show a future Caton Farm Road bridge carrying as many vehicles as the IL 7 bridge does today. Preliminary engineering studies have been initiated for the bridge segment of this SRA between IL 53 and IL 171.

2. The second segment consists of Cedar Road between Bruce Road and IL 7 (159th Street). In the IDOT study, the existing two-lane roadway would be upgraded to a four-lane facility, with an 18-foot raised median that would accommodate left-turn lanes, within a 100-foot right-of-way. Projected traffic volumes on Cedar Road exceed 16,000 vehicles per day and reflect the importance of this SRA facility. A new signalized intersection is proposed at Bruce Road, and the existing curve between Cedar Road and Bruce Road would be eliminated. This could be coordinated with the southern extension/realignment of Cedar Road. Median breaks would be limited to existing intersections, including Homer Township Fire Department and Luther J. Schilling School. Other access points would allow right-turn-in/right-turn-out movements only.
3. The third segment extends along IL 7/159th Street from Cedar Road to Bell Road. The IDOT SRA study proposes that this roadway be upgraded to four lanes, with a raised 18-foot median within a 100-foot right-of-way. The CATS traffic projections show future travel demand on IL 7 at approximately 28,000 vehicles per day. The intersection with Parker Road is proposed for signalization when demand warrants. Median breaks would be coordinated with development, but would generally be spaced in one-quarter-mile to one-half-mile intervals. The plans of Homer Township include frontage roads along this segment of the SRA.

The proposed roadway cross section would be extended east from Bell Road into Cook County as part of Segment 4 of the U.S. Route 6 SRA study.

159th Street/Renwick Road

The plan includes upgrades of 159th Street in two segments:

1. A 6.3-mile segment between IL 59 and IL 53 would increase capacity (to a four-lane facility with mountable or barrier median) on a key east-west arterial between developing areas of Plainfield and Romeoville and would accommodate cross-county traffic using the IL 7 bridge in Lockport to access the future I-355 extension interchange on 159th Street east of Farrel Road. Traffic volumes on this key east-west arterial are projected to increase from approximately 9,000 vehicles per day to 15,000 by 2020. The Village of Plainfield has suggested reassigning the state route designation of U.S. Route 30 to Renwick Road between U.S. Route 30 and IL 59.
2. The second segment is a U.S. Route 6 SRA connection extending from Farrel Road through the future I-355 interchange to Cedar Road. A four-lane facility is proposed in the IDOT SRA study, with an 18-foot median and 17-foot parkways on the north and south sides of the road. The proposed 100-foot right-of-way would be increased to 200 feet at the interchange.

WIKADUKE Trail

The underlying concept behind this project is the provision of a continuous, principal north-south arterial to serve growing travel demand in northwest Will County and northeast Kendall County and link these areas with western DuPage County and northeastern Grundy County. The CATS traffic estimates confirm that demand exists for such a facility, with traffic volumes exceeding 20,000 vehicles per day on some segments. Linkages between this north-south facility and the existing SRA system would be provided from three east-west SRA connections, including Caton Farm Road, 119th Street, and 95th Street.

The IDOT alignment for this primary north-south SRA facility would extend from U.S. Route 6 (south of Minooka) to IL 56 (Butterfield Road) in Aurora via Ridge Road, Stewart Road, Heggs Road, and Eola Road. The WIKADUKE study recommends that Ridge Road be improved to a four-lane facility with an 18-foot median (100- to 150-foot right-of-way). North of Wheeler Road, a new roadway connection would be developed between Ridge Road and Stewart Road. The SRA would continue north on the similarly upgraded Stewart Road alignment. North of 119th Street, a new roadway connection would be developed between Stewart Road and Heggs Road. Heggs Road and its northern continuation as Eola Road would be similarly widened and upgraded to IL 56. Other recommendations of the SRA study related to Will County include intersection improvements (separate left- and right-turn lanes) at U.S. Route 30 and the 95th Street extension and future traffic signal installations (as traffic demand warrants) at U.S. Route 30, Wolf's Crossing Road, 95th Street extension, Hafenrichter Road, and 87th Street. Signals would be interconnected on various segments of the WIKADUKE route. Since the majority of this alignment is outside of Will County, only the cost for the segment of this project in Will County (Heggs Road between the Stewart Road connector and 87th Street) was included in the implementation plan.

Caton Farm Road SRA

Caton Farm Road would serve as an SRA connector between the proposed WIKADUKE Trail SRA (at Ridge Road in Kendall County) and the IL 59 SRA. The WIKADUKE SRA study recommends that Caton Farm Road be widened to a four-lane facility with an 18-foot raised median within a 120-foot right-of-way, which would be consistent with the recommendations for the Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road/Cedar Road/IL 7 SRA study east of IL 59. Due to growth in the developing areas of western Joliet, the CATS traffic projections show a twofold increase in traffic over the next 20 years (5,000 vehicles per day up to 17,000). Will County recently widened Caton Farm Road between County Line Road and Essington Road and transferred ownership of the facility to the City of Joliet via a jurisdictional transfer agreement. In the ultimate design, the intersections of Caton Farm Road with IL 59 and Ridge Road would accommodate dual left-turn lanes and right-turn lanes on all approaches. The intersections of Caton Farm Road with Ridge Road, County Line Road, Drauden Road, Wesmere Parkway, and the potential future mid-mile collector between Ridge Road and County Line Road would be signalized as demand warrants.

119th Street SRA

The 119th Street SRA route would connect the proposed WIKADUKE Trail SRA (at Stewart Road in Kendall County) with the IL 59 and Weber Road SRAs. The WIKADUKE SRA study recommends widening 119th Street to four lanes, with an 18-foot raised median within a 120-foot right-of-way between Weber Road and Stewart Road. This improvement would be necessitated by growth in the Bolingbrook/Naperville/Plainfield area, which is projected to increase traffic on 119th Street to approximately 15,000 vehicles per day by 2020. A new connector road would be developed from 119th Street at Heggs Road to the Collins Road extension at Stewart Road. Separate left- and right-turn lanes would be developed at intersection along 119th Street. Traffic signals (as warranted) would be located and interconnected on 119th Street at its intersections with Heggs Road, Stewart Road, the potential future mid-mile collector between Heggs and Stewart, U.S. Route 30, Normantown Road, 248th Street, Van Dyke Road, IL 59, Book Road, Plainfield-Naperville Road, Essington Road, Kings Road, and the potential future mid-mile collectors between Essington Road and Weber Road.

95th Street

This roadway is included in the WIKADUKE SRA study as a recommended SRA route that could be developed to provide a continuous east-west connection between U.S. Route 30 (in Kendall County) and I-355 (via Boughton Road), a distance of approximately 13.25 miles.

There are three segments of 95th Street included in the SRA study. The first segment consists of the extension of 95th Street from 248th Street west to U.S. Route 30. The roadway would be built with two through lanes in each direction and an 18-foot-wide median within a 120-foot right-of-way. The railroad crossing of the EJ&E Railroad would potentially be grade-separated, and Wolf's Crossing Road would be realigned to intersect the 95th Street extension to the west of 248th Street. Future traffic signal locations (as warranted) include intersections with U.S. Route 30, Heggs Road, the potential future mid-mile collector between U.S. Route 30 and Heggs, Carl's Drive, realigned Wolf's Crossing Road, and 248th Street.

The second segment of this proposed SRA route includes the existing section of 95th Street between 248th Street and Plainfield-Naperville Road. Traffic volumes along this segment are projected to increase from approximately 4,000 vpd to 16,000 in 2020. Between 248th Street and IL 59, 95th Street would be widened from a three-lane section to four lanes, with an 18-foot median within a 120-foot right-of-way. The existing roadway cross section between IL 59 and Plainfield-Naperville Road (four lanes with 16-foot raised median) would be maintained. Separate left- and right-turn lanes would be developed at intersections as necessary. Future traffic signals (as warranted) would be located at a potential future mid-mile collector between 248th Street and IL 59 and at Ashbury Drive.

The third segment consists of the extension of 95th Street east from Plainfield-Naperville Road to Boughton Road, between Starwood Drive and Hickory Oaks Drive, a distance of approximately 1.5 miles. This new roadway would provide a four-lane section, with an 18-foot raised median within a 120-foot right-of-way, and a new bridge across the DuPage River. The design would accommodate the CATS 2020 traffic projection of approximately 16,000 vpd. The existing section of 95th Street just east of Plainfield-Naperville Road would be realigned with the 95th Street extension at a point approximately 2,000 feet east of Plainfield-Naperville Road. Separate left- and right-turn lanes would be developed at intersections, and future traffic signals (as warranted) would be located at Boughton Road and the realigned existing section of 95th Street.

Boughton Road

There are two segments to this project: (1) the SRA segment between the 95th Street extension and IL 53 and (2) IL 53 to Woodward Avenue.

1. Between the 95th Street extension and Sunshine Drive (a distance of approximately 0.9 miles), Boughton Road is presently being widened by the county to four lanes with a continuous raised 16-foot median. Between Sunshine Drive and IL 53, the existing cross section (four lanes with a variable width median) would be maintained, with minor modifications to achieve median width continuity to accommodate left-turning vehicles at various intersections. Intersection improvements recommended in the WIKADUKE SRA study include dual left-turn lanes on all approaches of the Boughton Road/Naperville Road intersection.
2. Between IL 53 and Feather Sound Drive, the WIKADUKE SRA study recommends maintaining the existing four-lane cross section with median modifications to provide a continuous 16- to 18-foot-wide raised median. Between Feather Sound Drive and Jones Avenue, the SRA study recommends widening Boughton Road to six lanes with an 18-foot-wide raised median to match the existing road capacity across the I-355 interchange (Jones Avenue to Woodward Avenue). This interchange was recently reconstructed to provide this six-lane design on Boughton Road as well as new tollway ramps to and from the south.
    

Kings Road Extension

This roadway would be extended from 119th Street north to Boughton Road. The southern segment would be a new three-lane facility that would create a north-south arterial grid at one-mile intervals in the developing areas of Bolingbrook. This segment would serve mostly residential areas and is projected to carry approximately 5,000 vehicles per day by 2020.

Plainfield-Naperville Road

As the primary arterial route between Plainfield and the Bolingbrook/Naperville area, Plainfield-Naperville Road is projected to experience a significant increase in traffic demand over the next 20 years (to approximately 22,000 vehicles per day between 95th Street and 111th Street) in this rapidly growing corridor of the county. This project would widen the roadway from two lanes to four (with a mountable or barrier median) between 95th Street and the realigned section at Main Street (IL 126). A four-lane section with median presently exists north of 95th Street.

Exchange Street

As the principal east-west arterial connecting Governors State University, University Park, Crete, IL 394, and a potential new interchange on I-57 at Stuenkel Road, Exchange Street is projected to experience a 50 percent increase in travel demand as these communities continue to develop. East Exchange Street also has an important connection to Indiana. If the development of the South Suburban Airport (approximately three miles to the south) goes forward, Exchange Street could experience a doubling of traffic (to approximately 16,000 vehicles per day). The plan proposes the widening of this roadway to a four- or five-lane section (with or without raised median) between Stuenkel Road (via Crawford Road) and IL 394. Some sections of Exchange Street are already four or five lanes wide, including those in downtown Crete and at Western Avenue.

Laraway Road

As development continues to the south of the I-80 and U.S. Route 30 corridors, Laraway Road will serve as a principal east-west arterial route connecting Joliet with New Lenox and Frankfort. Traffic volumes are projected to nearly double by 2020 (to approximately 15,000 vehicles per day), creating the need to improve this roadway, implement access control measures, and signalize major intersections as warranted. A five-lane cross section is the ultimate design for Laraway Road.

St. Francis/LaPorte Road

Similar in function to Laraway Road, St. Francis/LaPorte Road serves as a principal east-west arterial through the Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area. By running parallel to U.S. Route 30 and I-80, it offers a local, alternative east-west route to U.S. Route 30 that is more convenient to Mokena. Realignment of St. Francis Road with LaPorte Road at U.S. Route 45 will be an important consideration for improved traffic flow along this corridor. Household and employment growth is expected to double in the Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area of the county by 2020. Traffic demand along the St. Francis/LaPorte Road corridor is likely to double as well, to approximately 14,000 vehicles per day at U.S. Route 45. A higher-capacity facility (five lanes, with or without raised median) is recommended between IL 43 and U.S. Route 45 to accommodate this level of traffic efficiently. A four-lane section already exists between U.S. Route 45 and Kirkstone Way. Between Kirkstone Way and I-80, a median or center lane is proposed to accommodate left-turn lanes at all intersections.

Gougar Road

There are two segments to this project:

1. Gougar Road serves an important mid-county function by connecting U.S. Route 6 with U.S. Route 30 and Laraway Road. The extension of I-355 to I-80, with an interchange at U.S. Route 6 and continued buildout in the New Lenox area, is projected to double or even triple travel demand on Gougar Road (from 6,000 vehicles per day to up to 18,000). The upgrade and widening of this facility to a four-lane section (with mountable or barrier median accommodating left-turn lanes at intersections) between U.S. Route 6 and Laraway Road is included in the plan.
2. As growth continues in the Lemont-Lockport-New Lenox corridors, a continuous, high-capacity, north-south arterial is required. There is presently no continuous north-south route between IL 53 and Wolf Road. A southern extension of Gougar Road from Laraway Road to Baker Road (at U.S. Route 52) will create this important north-south link.

191st Street (Cleveland Street)

This arterial serves developing industrial and commercial areas of Mokena bounded by Wolf Road on the west, I-80 on the north, and U.S. Route 45 on the east. There is significant truck traffic on this roadway. Future land development in this corridor will rely on 191st Street for access to U.S. Route 45 and its interchange with I-80. Wolf Road may also provide interstate access in the future. Year 2020 traffic estimates for 191st Street exceed 17,000 vehicles per day, reflecting a 70 percent increase in existing traffic levels. The transportation plan includes the widening of 191st Street to a four-lane section with barrier median between Wolf Road and U.S. Route 45 to accommodate this growth. Presently, 191st Street is being widened by the county between U.S. Route 45 and 80th Avenue. Further widening from 80th Avenue east to Harlem Avenue (IL 43) is scheduled to be completed by the county in the next two to three years.

135th Street

Growth in the villages of Romeoville and Lemont, in combination with the limited number of Des Plaines River crossings, will increase the importance of 135th Street as a principal cross-county route. Traffic volumes on 135th Street are projected to increase up to 150 percent by 2020, to 10,000 vehicles per day, which is more than the existing two-lane roadway can accommodate efficiently. The 135th Street bridge and its approaches were recently widened to four lanes between IL 53 and Broadway Street (New Avenue). As an extension of this improvement, the transportation plan calls for the further widening of 135th Street with a four-lane section (with mountable or barrier median) from IL 53 west to the Weber Road SRA.

Stuenkel Road

In combination with the proposed new interchange on I-57, Stuenkel Road would be widened from two lanes to four (with median) between Harlem Avenue and Steger-Monee Road. This would reinforce the arterial street role of Stuenkel for access to Governors State University, the Gateway Industrial Park, Metra Electric commuter rail station, and linkage to IL 50 and University Park arterials. This improvement would include an upgraded Illinois Central railroad crossing; traffic signals (as warranted) at Cicero, Governor's Highway, and Crawford Road; and left-turn lanes at intersections, the entrance to the commuter rail parking lot, and the university campus drive. With growth in the University Park area and the proposed new interchange, Stuenkel Road is projected to carry more than 8,000 vehicles per day, a 60 percent increase over existing conditions.

Manhattan-Monee Road Extension

Manhattan-Monee Road is a designated SRA route between U.S. Route 45 and IL 1 via Crete-Monee Road. The misalignment of Manhattan-Monee Road and Crete-Monee Road (Court Street) in the Village of Monee creates a disjointed SRA route that draws traffic through the village. An eastern extension of Manhattan-Monee Road from IL 50 (Cicero Avenue), with an S-curve connecting back to Crete-Monee Road, will improve traffic flow on the SRA route and will create a bypass of Monee. The project would include an at-grade crossing of the Illinois Central railroad tracks just east of IL 50.

143rd Street

The extension of 143rd Street (Taylor Road) from IL 59 to IL 126 will provide an important east-west arterial, completing the one-mile arterial grid on the north side of Plainfield. More important, this road extension, in combination with an upgraded I-55 interchange on IL 126, and the widening of 143rd Street (to provide a center left-turn lane) between IL 59 and U.S. Route 30 will serve to divert truck traffic around downtown Plainfield.

Drauden Road Extension

Completion of the one-mile arterial grid between Shorewood and the county line can be achieved by extending Drauden Road south from Theodore Street to Mound Road (at Ingolsby Road). This improvement would be completed as this area develops.

Steger Road Extension

The extension of Steger Road between IL 50 and Crawford Avenue will improve access to the developing industrial, commercial, and residential areas of Richton Park, Park Forest, and University Park.

88th Avenue (Pfeiffer Road) Extension

Access to the developing areas of northeast Frankfort is presently limited, putting a heavy traffic burden on U.S. Route 30, U.S. Route 45, and St. Francis Road. An improved grid network needs to be developed to provide a better distribution of traffic. The extension of 88th Avenue from U.S. Route 30 north to St. Francis Road would develop the north-south element of the grid.

North Avenue Extension

Extension of North Avenue from 84th Avenue west through the extended segment of 88th Avenue to U.S. Route 45 will create the east-west element of the grid in Frankfort. The environmental significance of Hickory Creek will have an impact on the alignment of these road extensions, as each will require a new bridge over this tributary.

Theodore Street Extension

Extension of Theodore Street from Bronk Road to Essington Road will complete the one-mile grid in this part of western Joliet. New bridges over the DuPage River and I-55 would be included in this project.

Road Alignments

Will County is fortunate to have a well-developed grid system comprised of roads constructed at the section lines. The resulting one-mile road grid creates a logical and easily understood system of roads that provide direct linkages.

Unfortunately, the road grid is broken in a number of areas. The Des Plaines River and Kankakee River create significant barriers. The DuPage River, Hickory Creek, and Spring Creeks create barriers as well. Wetland areas and floodplains also pose a problem to continuous travel. Finally, some obstacles to continuity are manmade, such as major subdivisions and the former Joliet Arsenal property.

The road grid also suffers from numerous misalignments that are generally consequences of existing offsets in the original survey of land. The original Indian Boundary created offsets on a line parallel to the Des Plaines River. The offsets are most critical between Illinois and Indiana, and into Kankakee and Cook counties.

These offsets can be improved before the land around the road intersection is fully developed. Most of the problem areas are on township roads. The townships, municipalities, and the county must officially identify the intersections to be realigned and plan for these realignments to occur as part of any development plans on or adjacent to these intersections.

The recommended transportation plan proposes a number of improvements to correct road misalignments. Many of the improvements shown in the southern part of the county do not have to be built for many years. The various road jurisdictions, however, should begin working with landowners now to try to preserve right-of-way so that the roads can be realigned when parcels near these locations are developed, and improved access becomes desirable. The road realignments recommended in the transportation plan are listed below, organized by subarea. It should be noted that preliminary engineering studies have yet to be completed at these locations; consequently, precise alignments have not been defined in this plan.

North Central

Cedar Road at Bruce Road

St. Francis Road with LaPorte Road at U.S. Route 45

Gougar Road with State Road at 147th Street

Vollmer Road with St. Francis Road at IL 43 (Harlem Avenue)

East

Harlem Avenue at Steger Road

Bemes Road with 117th Avenue (in Indiana) at State Line Road

Steger Road with 81st Avenue (in Indiana) at the Indiana state line

Peotone-Beecher Road (303rd Street) with 151st Avenue (in Indiana) at State Line Road

County Line Road with 181st Avenue (in Indiana) at State Line Road

Klemme Road with 17500 East Road at County Line Road

Stoney Island Avenue with 16000 East Road at County Line Road

Cottage Grove Avenue with 15000 East Road at County Line Road

Ashland Avenue with 12000 East Road at County Line Road

Crawford Road with Richton Road at Steger Road

Ridgeland Avenue at Steger Road

Torrence Avenue at Steger Road

Western Avenue with 11000 East Road at County Line Road

Kedzie Avenue with 10000 East Road at County Line Road

Crawford Avenue with 9000 East Road at County Line Road

Will Center Road (Cicero Avenue) with 8000 East Road at County Line Road

Central Avenue with 7000 East Road at County Line Road

Ridgeland Avenue with 6000 East Road at County Line Road

Harlem Avenue with 5000 East Road at County Line Road

80th Avenue with 4000 East Road at County Line Road

Center Road with 2000 East Road at County Line Road

104th Avenue with 1000 East Road at County Line Road

Southwest

104th Avenue at Steger Road

Watkins Road with Zeismer Road at U.S. Route 52

Kankakee Street at Manhattan-Monee Road

Gallagher Road at Cedar Road

Koehler Road with Schoolhouse Road at Smith Road

Baker Road with Stuenkel Road with Green Garden-Manhattan Road with Town Line Road

80th Avenue at Steger Road

88th Avenue at Steger Road

Regional and Arterial System Supporting Proposed South Suburban Airport

The development of a third regional airport in the Peotone area would have a significant impact on the existing roadway system. Airport access from the interstate and state highway system will be critical to accommodate regional travel demand. Equally important is the capacity these highway facilities will provide. Some of the local roadways will be displaced and replaced by a road system serving the airport. The Will County Transportation Plan includes a series of major roadway improvements needed to support the proposed airport should it receive FAA approval. These roadway projects were identified in IDOT's Master Plan and Environmental Assessment for the South Suburban Airport, and the validity of these improvements was tested in the evaluation process of this plan.

It should be noted that the CATS traffic estimates are based on full buildout of the airport and substantial activity in and around the airport by 2020. Should the airport receive FAA approval and be developed at a slower pace than projected, many of the transportation system needs may not be required until beyond the 20-year planning period.

Regional System Improvements

I-57. The present IDOT proposal calls for a new three-way interchange in the vicinity of Offner Road to provide access to the terminal area via the proposed west airport access road. The Will County proposal would turn this three-way interchange into a four-way interchange, with connections to Offner Road and Harlem Avenue. This would create a major economic development area for eastern Will County. The area west of I-57 will grow rapidly if the South Suburban Airport is constructed; if no new access to the expressway system is constructed, long trips on local township and county roads will result.

A second improvement to I-57 includes a five-mile southern extension of the previously mentioned widening project. I-57 would be widened from two lanes in each direction to three between Manhattan-Monee Road and Wilmington-Peotone Road. The need for improving this section of I-57, which is designated in the CATS 2020 Regional Transportation Plan as a Corridor for Further Study, will be dependent on the residential and commercial growth that develops near the airport. The CATS travel demand projections for the "with airport" scenario yielded a daily traffic volume on I-57 (south of Manhattan-Monee Road) of 80,000 vehicles per day, approximately twice what exists today. This demand would justify the need for widening this section.

IL 394. This SRA route is identified in the CATS 2020 Regional Transportation Plan in two segments. The first segment, between I-80 in Cook County and Sauk Trail, would be widened to increase the total number of lanes from two in each direction to three. This improvement would relieve congestion on IL 394 and its parallel arterials and would improve highway access to the proposed airport. The traffic projections support this improvement, as volumes on IL 394 are projected to increase from approximately 57,000 vehicles per day to 100,000 if the airport is developed.

The second segment is designated by CATS as a Corridor for Further Study. This improvement would widen (to six lanes) the remainder of IL 394 south to its terminus with IL 1 and would convert this segment of IL 394 to a limited-access facility. Airport patrons from the northeast would be served by an interchange on IL 394 (located just south of Burrville Road) to the proposed north airport access road, which would potentially become a segment of the proposed I-355 extension. An east airport entrance, serving the proposed air cargo facilities, would be located near the junction of IL 394 and IL 1. This section of IL 394 is projected to carry up to 50,000 vehicles per day by 2020, far more than the existing four-lane divided arterial can accommodate efficiently.

IL 1. This SRA route would provide local access to the airport from the south and would be generally widened to four through lanes (with a center median for left turns) between Steger Road and the Kankakee County line. Widening to this cross section may not be feasible through the urbanized areas of Steger, Crete, and Beecher, as significant land use impacts would result. A bypass route of the Village of Beecher has been proposed in the airport master plan. However, until the airport is built out to near capacity (if, in fact, the airport project goes forward), a bypass would be underutilized. In the interim, right-of-way should be preserved for future road construction.

Arterial Street System

The following arterial streets would be widened and upgraded to improve access to the proposed airport and the developing area that would surround it:

Wilmington-Peotone Road, from U.S. Route 45/52 to IL 50

Crete-Monee Road, from IL 50 to IL 1

Manhattan-Monee Road, from U.S. Route 45 to IL 50

Joliet Road (295th Street), from U.S. Route 45 to 80th Avenue

Future Roadway Facilities (I-355 Extension/South Suburban Expressway)

Over the next 20 years and beyond, development is expected to continue filling in the northwest, west central (Plainfield, Joliet), north central (Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox), and northeast (Steger, Crete, University Park) subareas of the county. This growth will be significantly influenced by the development of a third regional airport in the Peotone area. The proposed South Suburban Airport, if constructed, would overwhelm the existing road system, requiring substantial expenditures on the part of local government. Even without the airport, future residential and commercial growth will require substantial capacity improvements to the highway and arterial street system.

The interstate system now provides a double beltway around the Chicago metropolitan region in all areas except into Indiana. Here, traffic is channeled into I-80 near the Indiana border. Additional network connections into Indiana are needed.

The Chicago Area Transportation Study's 2020 Regional Transportation Plan designates the extension of I-355 (also called the South Suburban Expressway) to the south and east of I-80 as a "Corridor for Future Study." The CATS plan separates the corridor into three segments: west, central, and east. The west segment would extend I-355 from its proposed southern terminus at I-80 in New Lenox to I-57. The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) is presently studying the feasibility of this extension with the objective of selecting and recording an alignment location. The central segment would extend from I-57 east to IL 394, and would provide a direct connection into the proposed South Suburban Airport via a north airport access road. As proposed, IDOT would build this segment of I-355, and right-of-way for this corridor is identified in IDOT's Master Plan and Environmental Assessment for the South Suburban Airport. The east segment of I-355 would extend from IL 394 east to the Indiana state line with the potential for further eastern extension to either I-65 or U.S. Route 421 in Indiana. Preliminary coordination discussions have been initiated with northwestern Indiana planning agencies, but to date no feasibility studies have been begun on this proposal.

The evaluation process results demonstrated that a new access-controlled highway in north central Will County could be effective in removing long-distance trips from the subregional arterial system, including U.S. Route 30, U.S. Route 45, and U.S. Route 52. A comparison of Concepts 1 and 2 shows that these state highways would experience a drop in traffic demand of between 15 and 25 percent if I-355 is extended from I-80 to I-57. The proposed tollway (west segment of the I-355 extension) could also relieve traffic levels on sections of the regional interstate system, including I-80 and I-57. Since traffic levels are projected to increase substantially in the north central area of the county, particularly because of the emerging development in the Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area, the expressway would protect the subregional arterial system by preserving the system's capacity for intracounty travel. However, the projected demand for this facility (between 11,000 and 39,000 vehicles per day if extended between I-80 and I-57) may not warrant construction without the additional travel demand that would be generated by the third regional airport and/or the additional demand generated by the extension of the facility into Indiana.

Beyond its ability to remove longer-distance trips from the subregional arterial system, one of the most significant elements of the proposed extension of I-355 would be the location of interchanges. Access to and from the proposed expressway will help determine the overall benefit of the facility to Will County, as well as potentially influencing the land uses surrounding I-355. The ISTHA study has considered interchanges at Laraway Road, U.S. Route 45, and Manhattan-Monee Road, among the alternative alignments evaluated.

The CATS regional plan does not recommend construction of the Corridors for Further Study by 2020, based on anticipated financial resources and forecast travel demands. The Will County evaluation process validates this position for the I-355 extension between I-80 and I-57 if the third airport is not developed. However, CATS notes that changes in growth trends or available funding could make development of these corridors more desirable. The purpose of the Corridors for Further Study designation is to:

Recognize that a high travel demand corridor could evolve as a result of continued regional growth.

Encourage multimodal and environmental studies to evaluate the feasibility of and need for these facilities.

Take advanced steps to preserve a right-of-way for the proposed facility.

The Will County Transportation Plan map depicts ISTHA's narrowed south suburban tollway corridor study area, within which a recorded alignment will be selected. The plan encourages the preservation of right-of-way for the chosen alignment and supports the planning efforts of the I-355 South Suburban Tollway Corridor Council and the Eastern Will County Regional Council. The councils were formed to involve local decision-makers in the alignment evaluation process, as well as help affected municipalities prepare for the changes that the construction of the I-355 extension may bring and plan land use accordingly. These planning efforts could include policies and provisions to encourage multimodal travel within this corridor by integrating transit and other modes of transportation with an appropriate land use policy.

Special Roadway Features

The proposed new roadway facilities and the upgrades to existing facilities should include certain special characteristics. These concern multimodal potentials for some of the routes. These concepts would be:

Major bikeways. Bikeways, which may have a major impact on commuter travel in the future, could be included in various routes. A network penetrating both urban centers and major environmental/scenic areas is included in the plan, e.g., Larkin Avenue, State Street, Midewin Trail, and U.S. Route 30.

Parkways. As symbolic routes, parkways would be highly landscaped routes with exceptional aesthetic qualities. Such designs can achieve certain environmental objectives, e.g., protecting wetlands and vegetation areas. The WIKADUKE Trail could be considered for a parkway design.

Gateways. Some of the routes could have a gateway character. Highly visual design features with information and tourist services could be used to direct people into the county. I-55, I-57, I-80, and the extension of I-355 could have such a function. These routes are central to the county and could be part of major new development corridors, especially I-57 and I-355 if the third airport is built.

Multimodal Elements

In balance with the roadway elements, the plan envisions an expansion of the use (and effectiveness) of other modes. Land use relationships would help begin the transition from the single-occupancy vehicle situation of today to a new situation in which transit, bicycle, ridesharing, and pedestrian modes become truly significant.

The analysis of future traffic growth has indicated that the recommended plan will provide enough capacity for year 2020 conditions. However, these recommended improvements are expected to have only a small amount of residual traffic capacity at that time (i.e., capacity for beyond 2020). The possibility of future capacity expansions for the post-2020 period will be limited, due to right-of-way constraints, financial resources, and operational difficulties associated with arterials of six lanes or more.

The strategy represented by this plan is to set in motion a long-term commitment to multimodal transportation. It reflects the reality that changing land use concepts and personal behavior will take a long time. As the street system is improved, parallel actions in transit, non-motorized travel, and land use need to be considered so that within the next 15 to 20 years, implementation of a multimodal transportation system will be possible.

Transit System

The transportation plan recommends that the Metra/Pace Future Agenda for Suburban Transit (FAST) proposal be implemented in Will County, as well as all transit projects identified in the 2020 RTP. FAST represents extensions of regional transit accessibility. In addition to the FAST proposal, the Will County plan suggests additional improvements to increase transit access in the county. Except for the outer circumferential line, the commuter lines serve trips oriented to Cook County and central Chicago. The Pace express bus service provides connections to serve suburb-to-suburb travel. Specifically, the county plan includes the extension of commuter rail service to Wilmington, Elwood, Manhattan, Monee, and Peotone, along with new commuter stations in Romeoville and between Joliet and New Lenox. In addition, the plan includes the introduction of commuter rail service along the Union Pacific/CSX line between the LaSalle Street station in downtown Chicago and Beecher in Will County. This new commuter rail project is identified in the CATS 2020 RTP as the South Suburban Corridor. Pace service enhancements include new fixed-route express bus service, express bus service in corridors being considered for Metra service or to supplement Metra service during off-peak periods, community transit service, dial-a-ride service, park-n-ride lots, transportation centers and transfer facilities, restricted-use lanes, and traffic signal pre-emption systems. In addition, the plan supports two future rail corridors that CATS has identified as Corridors for Further Study, including the Outer Circumferential (EJ&E) Corridor and the Metra Electric corridor extension to the proposed South Suburban Airport. By providing for increased rail and bus service in the county, intercounty single-occupancy vehicle trips may be reduced, and, more significantly, intracounty single-occupancy vehicle trips to employment opportunities may potentially be reduced.

Commuter Rail Improvements

The Will County Transportation Plan generally builds on the FAST study and includes the following improvements to the Metra system:

Heritage Corridor Line

Installation of bi-directional signaling between Joliet and Bridgeport. Installation of new automated crossovers in Lemont and northern Joliet. It is estimated that these two improvements will increase train travel speeds by 30 percent.

Extension of existing line from Joliet to Wilmington (15 miles). New stations in Elwood and Wilmington. Additional train storage capacity provided in Wilmington will relieve congestion at the Joliet Coach Yard and provide an opportunity for expanded service on the Heritage Corridor Line. Consideration should be given to further extension of the line to Braidwood.

New station at 135th Street in Romeoville.

Rock Island District Line

Relocation of the Heritage Corridor trains to the new Wilmington coachyard will facilitate service expansion on the Rock Island District Line.

Consideration should be given to extending service from the present terminus in Joliet west to the intersection of Houbolt Road and I-80, with potential new stations at Houbolt Road and Larkin Avenue (Rockdale). A park-n-ride lot at Houbolt could provide convenient access for motorists on I-55 and I-80. Consideration should be given to studying further extension of this line to Minooka.

Development of a new station between Joliet Union Station and the New Lenox station to serve developing areas between these two communities.

Southwest Service Line

Extension of existing line from 179th Street in Orland Park to Manhattan (12 miles). New station and additional train storage capacity in Manhattan.

New station in New Lenox.

Consideration should be given to further extension of the line to the former Joliet Arsenal property as planned industrial parks and intermodal facilities develop around the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Metra Electric District Line

Expand capacity of system by adding a second track between Richton Park and University Park.

Extension of existing line from University Park to Peotone. New stations at Monee and Peotone. Further extension beyond Peotone to Kankakee to be studied.

New coachyard in Peotone will relieve train storage congestion at the Matteson coachyard.

Extension to the proposed South Suburban Airport is being studied by Metra and is a designated Corridor for Further Study in the CATS 2020 RTP. Rail line should be routed from Monee directly beneath the airport terminal, not routed in with slow, angled loop. From the airport terminal, line would continue on to Peotone.

South Suburban Line

A new, limited-service commuter rail line would be initiated along the Union Pacific/CSX line from LaSalle Street station in downtown Chicago to Beecher. This new line will provide transit service to southern Cook County and eastern Will County, greatly improving access to downtown employment opportunities. This new line is included as a plan project in CATS 2020 RTP.

The train would stop at Beecher and Crete in Will County, and then on to selected stops in Cook County such as Chicago Heights, South Holland, and Dolton. Other potential stops to be considered in Will County include Steger and the Goodenow Road area.

Outer Circumferential (EJ&E) Commuter Rail Line (Corridor for Further Study)

New suburb-to-suburb service would make use of 50 miles of the existing 103-mile Elgin, Joliet and Eastern (EJ&E) freight line to connect Waukegan to Gary, Indiana, via Barrington, Elgin, Aurora, and Joliet. Transfers could be made to most of Metra's existing radial lines. The core segment of this line, which will be defined after Metra has completed its studies, has been selected in the CATS RTP as a plan project. Due to funding constraints, the remainder of this project has been designated as a Corridor for Further Study.

New stations would potentially be located at 95th Street, 111th Street, 135th Street, Village of Plainfield (IL 59 or IL 126), I-55/U.S. Route 30, Gaylord Road, Weber Road, and Collins Street (IL 171). The line would connect with the existing Joliet Union Station (Rock Island District/Heritage Corridor lines) and then continue east through New Lenox, Frankfort, and into Cook County toward Indiana.

Pace Bus System Improvements

The Will County Transportation Plan includes several improvements to bus service, including:

Pre-Rail/Bus Service

Prior to implementation of commuter rail extensions, Metra prefers to test ridership potential with an express bus service that replicates rail service by stopping only at station site park-n-ride facilities. The pre-rail bus routes will feed into the existing rail terminus station. The following pre-rail bus routes are proposed in this study:

Service from Peotone through Monee to the University Park Metra station (would precede Electric District line extension).

Service from Beecher through Crete to the University Park Metra station (would precede new South Suburban line).

Service from Chicago Heights through New Lenox, Joliet, and Plainfield to Naperville. Transfers would be available to the Rock Island District and Burlington Northern/Santa Fe lines. This service would precede the EJ&E route.

Service from Braidwood through Wilmington and Elwood to the Joliet Metra station (would precede Heritage Corridor line extension).

Service from Manhattan to the New Lenox Metra station (would precede SouthWest service line extension).

Express Bus Service

Pace's limited/express routes offer high-speed bus service from a designated point of origin to a major activity center. Some of these routes operate during the rush hour periods only, while others offer regularly scheduled service throughout the day. Only a portion of the routes operate non-stop. Pace recently initiated two express routes, Nos. 833 and 837. Pace does not presently have plans for any additional express bus service in Will County. The transportation plan recommends that Pace explore the development of express bus routes on I-55 and I-355 north to the employment centers in eastern DuPage County and northern Cook County. These routes include:

Along the proposed I-355 extension from New Lenox to the north, with service to Oak Brook and the job corridor in northern Cook County. The service would have stops at most of the interchanges in Will County, and then travel express to Oak Brook and northern Cook County. This service could begin in Frankfort and travel on U.S. Route 30 to reach New Lenox at I-355.

I-55 from Channahon north along I-355, with service to Oak Brook and the job corridor in northern Cook County. The service would have stops at most of the interchanges in Will County, and then travel express to Oak Brook and northern Cook County.

WIKADUKE Trail from Minooka to western DuPage County.

Bell Road from Homer Township north along IL 83, with a terminus in Oak Brook.

Heritage Corridor Line from Joliet north to Chicago Union Station, providing off-peak and evening service for Heritage Corridor riders.

Community Transit Service

To serve the more local travel market, community transit service should be expanded to the urbanizing sections of the county. This service represents short-distance bus routes focused on a few emerging major activity centers. These routes would also provide local feeder bus service to new or existing commuter rail stations. Currently, Joliet has a community-based bus network. There is also some local service in the University Park, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, and Lockport areas. This type of service is to be expanded. Given the growth patterns for the future, such local service could be expanded in the following areas:

Frankfort/Mokena/New Lenox area, south Orland Park, and east Homer Township.

Northwest Will County, including Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, south Naperville, and Aurora.

East Will County, including University Park, Monee, Peotone, Steger, and the proposed airport environs.

Dial-a-Ride Service

Pace dial-a-ride (or paratransit) service is provided in all areas of Will County, except the southwest (Florence, Wilton, Reed, Custer, and Wesley Townships). To provide for basic mobility needs in these areas, the transportation plan and the FAST proposal call for expansion of the dial-a-ride service area to cover these townships.

Commuter Park-n-Ride Lots

Since most of the people potentially served by commuter rail or Pace express buses do not live within walking distance of stations or terminals, an access system is needed. Park-n-ride lots serve as primary collection points for Pace riders and provide a location for transfers between transit modes. The park-n-ride facilities need to be located in positions effective for accessing travel markets, reducing transit travel times, and minimizing bus circulation through residential communities. Consequently, a large percentage of these facilities are planned near expressways, tollways, or strategic regional arterials. Two existing park-n-ride facilities exist on the Pace I-55 Flyer (No. 855) and Joliet-Naperville Express (No. 837) routes: Romeoville at the Romeo Center Plaza (IL 53 at Romeo Road) and Bolingbrook at the South Commons Mall (IL 53 at I-55), and one facility exists at the Louis Joliet Mall for the non-stop peak runs of the Joliet-Naperville express (No. 837) route. Ten new park-n-ride facilities are planned for Will County in the FAST proposal, the majority of which would be located along I-55, I-80, and IL 53. Additional facilities are proposed in IDOT's SRA studies, including U.S. Route 30 and the WIKADUKE Trail. The park-n-ride facilities in the FAST proposal include:

Bolingbrook I-355 at I-55

Bolingbrook⁽¹⁾ IL 53 at I-55

Bolingbrook Canterbury Lane

Homer Township 159th Street at Bell Road

Joliet Scott Street at Benton Street

Lockport IL 53 at IL 7

New Lenox U.S. Route 6 at Cedar Road

Romeoville Weber Road at I-55

Shorewood U.S. Route 52 at I-55

Wilmington IL 53 at IL 102

Additional park-n-ride facilities proposed in the IDOT SRA studies include:

Frankfort U.S. Route 30 at Pfeiffer Road

Mokena U.S. Route 30 at Wolf Road

New Lenox U.S. Route 30 at Schoolhouse Road

Aurora WIKADUKE Trail (Heggs Road) at 95th Street extension

Joliet Caton Farm Road at IL 59

Plainfield 119th Street at IL 59

Naperville 95th Street at IL 59

Bolingbrook Boughton Road at Joliet-Naperville Road and at I-355

Transportation Centers and Transfer Facilities

These facilities serve as intra- and intermodal transfer points and typically serve multiple bus routes. Bus schedules are coordinated at these locations to maximize transfer opportunities and reduce passenger wait times. These facilities are usually paired with park-n-ride lots and passenger waiting areas. Transportation centers typically serve six or more routes and provide passenger structures with a variety of amenities. Transfer facilities are smaller centers that typically serve five or fewer routes and may provide only an outdoor covered shelter. Presently, the closest semblance of a transportation center or transfer facility in Will County is the pulse point for Pace operations at the Will County Courthouse in downtown Joliet. The FAST proposal includes two transportation centers and eight transfer facilities in Will County by 2010. These facilities would be constructed in combination with the park-n-ride locations listed above and would be located at:

Transportation Centers in Joliet (Scott Street at Benton Street) and Lockport (IL 53 at IL 7).

Transfer Facilities in Bolingbrook (I-355/I-55 and IL 53/I-55), Homer Township (159th Street at Bell Road), New Lenox (U.S. Route 6 at Cedar Road), Plainfield (U.S. Route 30 at I-55), Romeoville (Weber Road at I-55), Shorewood (U.S. Route 52 at I-55), and Wilmington (IL 53 at IL 102).

Restricted Use Lanes (RULs)

These facilities are dedicated highway or arterial lanes used exclusively by buses, vans, or other high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs), allowing these vehicles to operate on exclusive rights-of-way and bypass points of traffic congestion, thereby improving speed and reliability of service. RULs are typically constructed along expressways and tollways, with segregated entrance and exit ramps and park-n-ride lots provided at or near interchange locations.

HOV strategies tend to have the greatest impact where (1) there is severe, recurring traffic congestion, and significant travel time savings can be achieved; (2) HOV lanes are designed as part of a network of express la