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Title:

Stakeholder Engagement Creates Blueprint for a 21st Century Highway in the Chicago Area

Accession Number:

01473967

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Transportation Research Board Business Office

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Abstract:

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, along with Lake County, IL, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and several other partners, recently concluded a stakeholder engagement process to develop the conceptual design for a highway project long stalled by local opposition and environmental concerns. The process is a case study with useful lessons for other highway projects to be guided by sustainability objectives with intense stakeholder involvement. The design concept explicitly trades off conventional mobility in favor of a “right-sizing” approach. Rather than a conventional utilitarian roadway, “place-making” principles led to a meandering boulevard situated below grade with earthen berms for sound and visual barriers, sculpted to match unique local landforms. The process took into account needs and opportunities well beyond the right-of-way. Environmental enhancements and future land use were a particular focus. The proposed concept includes significant commitments to land conservation, ecological restoration, and development of a corridor plan to manage land use changes and help spur economic development. Stringent water quality objectives were established to treat and store stormwater runoff within the right-of-way as well as to replace traditional deicing road salts with other techniques. Project features were designed to exceed federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. Conceptual plans and visions are only as good as the commitments to follow through with results. The challenges during the next steps include financing for the road, detailed ecological and engineering designs, and addressing regulatory needs.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADA60 Public Involvement in Transportation.

Monograph Accession #:

01470560

Report/Paper Numbers:

13-3998

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Apfelbaum, Steven I
Elam, Jesse A
Sands, Michael
Smith, Brian J

Pagination:

14p

Publication Date:

2013

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 92nd Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2013-1-13 to 2013-1-17
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; Maps; References; Tables

Subject Areas:

Design; Environment; Highways; I15: Environment

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2013 Paper #13-3998

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Feb 5 2013 12:46PM