The Illinois Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on four possible ways it might improve traffic flow and safety on Route 20 at Shales Parkway in Elgin.
An open house-style public hearing will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at the downtown Schock Centre of Elgin at which exhibits will be on display and an audio-visual presentation shown on repeat during the meeting to educate residents on the concepts being considered. Project team members will be on hand to provide more information and to answer questions.
The exhibits and presentation can also be viewed online at us20atshalesstudy.org.
Located in the northwest corner of Cook County, the project site involves portions of the city of Elgin and the villages of Bartlett and Streamwood. The area being studied extends along Route 20, ending at Poplar Creek to the west and just east of Route 59 to the east.
Traffic studies show anywhere between 1,600 and 2,465 vehicles use that section of Route 20 in each direction every hour. Those numbers are expected to increase between 28% and 38% by 2050, according to IDOT.
A five-year analysis done between 2016 and 2021 showed there were 739 crashes — one of which was fatal — within the area being evaluated.
IDOT expects to finish the first phase of engineering and environmental study later this year. There are four possible ways to improve the roadway and the intersection with Shales for which officials want public feedback.
They are construction of:
- A single point urban interchange, which would reduce the number of intersections, thereby cutting down the opportunity for crashes. It would include a new north-south connector roadway linking Villa Street to Bluff City Boulevard with a roundabout.
- A roundabout west of Shales Parkway at the Route 20 eastbound ramps and new interchange ramps on both Bluff City Boulevard and Shales Parkway. It would include a new north-south connector roadway linking Villa Street to Bluff City Boulevard with a second roundabout.
- A split interchange with local access to Shales Parkway and an updated Villa Street alignment. It would include a new roadway connecting Shales Parkway directly to Gifford Road.
- A diverging diamond interchange with a new north-south connector roadway linking Villa Street and Bluff City Boulevard.
Anyone unable to attend the hearing can submit comments by email to info@US20atShalesStudy.org, via the project website at www.us20atshalesstudy.org/contact-us.html or by mail to Illinois Department of Transportation Bureau of Programming, Attn: Lori Brown, 201 W. Center Court, Schaumburg, IL 60196-1096.
All comments received by May 30 will become part of the official public record, officials said.
IDOT has several projects in the works in addition to the Shales/Route 20 intersection. The Route 31 bridge over Route 20 is being replaced, and several bridges along Route 20 are under construction. The agency is also planning to replace the Route 20 bridge over the Fox River.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
