Land once acquired to expand Illinois Route 53 is to be turned over to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to prepare to open the “greenway” for public use, after Gov. J.B. Pritzker included $1 million for the conservation project in his proposed budget.
Last week in Springfield, Pritzker unveiled a $52.7 billion budget proposal, with a small fraction of the budget reserved for the IDNR to prepare a land use master plan for the Illinois Route 53 expansion land.
The state’s action marks a win for local leaders, environmentalists and conservationists who have been advocating for the protection of the greenway corridor.
The site would incorporate the 12-mile linear land corridor where the highway extension was planned, linking the communities of Long Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Mundelein and Grayslake.
President of the village of Long Grove Bill Jacob said Pritzker’s fiscal support for the land conservation honors the legacy of the village residents who were at the forefront of the greenway preservation efforts and allows the village to maximize the natural resource.
“This is a landmark moment for the village of Long Grove, in every sense of the expression,” Jacob said in a statement.
A sanctuary for wildlife, the proposed greenway is roughly 1,100 acres of natural treasures, including meadows, creeks and ponds. The greenway’s conservation would connect parks and forest preserves throughout central Lake County.
Illinois Tollway officials decided to scrap expansion plans in 2019 as support waned following years of expensive studies and a cost projection in the billions of dollars to expand the highway.
A state task force recommended in December 2022 that the state fund a working group of local and regional stakeholders to plan for the conversion of the now-defunct Route 53 Tollway land into a protected natural area with public access.
Following the task force’s recommendation, in May 2023 the Lake County Board voted resoundingly in favor of a symbolic resolution to support the greenway conversion.
Board Chair Sandy Hart said she is grateful to Pritzker for his commitment to defending the state’s natural spaces.
“Ensuring that this vital greenway is protected is of the highest importance for our board,” Hart said in a statement. “By funding the greenway’s master plan, Governor Pritzker is taking the essential next step to protect this important open space.
“This would not be possible without the decades of unwavering support from advocates who had a vision for what the land could be, if only it were protected,” she said. “I thank them for their commitment, and their foresight.”
A pond, wetlands and open land in Long Grove on June 5, 2021, along the ‘greenway’ corridor. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Lake County is home to more endangered species than any other county in the state of Illinois, according to Hart. The forests, prairies, wetlands and lakes in the Route 53 corridor, “play a critical role in supporting our rich biodiversity,” she said.
Pritzker’s proposed $1 million allocation to the IDNR would fund initial collaboration on the character of the site, and the additional investment needed to prepare it for public access.
Executive Director of Midwest Sustainability Group, a Grayslake organization that has been advocating for the greenway conservation along with a coalition of civic groups, Barbara Klipp said communities in Lake County fought for decades to protect the, “regionally significant treasure.”
“We are profoundly grateful to the Governor, his administration, the elected officials, local villages and the many others who have helped us reach this important milestone,” Klipp said in a statement. “We look forward to working together with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the local communities to protect the fragile ecosystems, scenic landscapes and natural resources within this greenway and to create a public amenity for all to enjoy while protecting our communities and enhancing our local economy.”
