RESOLUTION FORWARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (IDOT) REGARDING THE DISPOSITION ON ILLINOIS ROUTE 59 (ROUTE 59)

WHEREAS, the Village of Barrington recognized during the development of the IDOT Strategic Regional Arterial (SRA) Report that the widening of Route 59 was proposed through the Village of Barrington; and

WHEREAS, the Village of Barrington expressed extreme concern to IDOT for this proposed widening; and

WHEREAS, the widening of Route 59 through the Village of Barrington, the commercial hub of the more than 90 square mile BACOG area, would do irreparable damage to the entire Village of Barrington’s small town character including its residential neighborhoods, its downtown business district, its historic buildings, as well as negatively impact the entire BACOG area; and

WHEREAS, the Village requested the ability to evaluate alternatives to the widening of Route 59; and

WHEREAS, the Village solicited participation from Village residents and businesses; the Villages of Barrington Hills, Inverness, Deer Park and BACOG to serve on a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) to evaluate alternatives to the proposed IDOT SRA plan; and

WHEREAS, the TAC convened in May of 2000 to commence its work; and

WHEREAS, because of the lack of land for a suitable alternate route, the development of well-established residential neighborhoods along potential alternate alignments, opposition by local citizens and surrounding communities, environmental barriers and other reasons, TAC could not identify feasible alternatives to relieve traffic congestion on Hough Street; and

WHEREAS, research commissioned by the TAC indicated that approximately 70% of the traffic on Hough Street is not local and does not originate within the 90 square mile BACOG area; and

WHEREAS, the TAC’s report concluded that this traffic is visited upon the citizen’s of Barrington because there is no immediate alternative, as the nearest other north/south routes are to the east, Route 53, which is six miles away and terminates at Lake Cook Road and to the west, Route 31, which is eight miles away; and

WHEREAS, the TAC report stated by contrast to the dearth of north/south routes there are eight east-west arterials or main roads within a fourteen mile area centering on Barrington; and

WHEREAS, through engineering and traffic analysis TAC concluded that IDOT’s four/five lane widening of Route 59 within the Village does not meet IDOT's standard level of service (LOS) “D” by 2020 and that only by diverting traffic to another roadway and creating another crossing of the railroad, could such a LOS be achieved; and

WHEREAS, IDOT’S plan would cost at least $25 million to save approximately 25 seconds of transit time through Barrington by 2020, a questionable use of tax money; and

WHEREAS, the IDOT widening plan would cause catastrophic destruction of the century-old tree canopy through the Village and replacement trees of enormous girth on an inch by inch basis would cause the planting of as many as 1800 trees along the short route of Hough Street (Route 59 in the Village) effectively devastating the historic center of Barrington; and

WHEREAS, alternate routes through and adjacent to Barrington were also found to have a drastic negative effect on the small town character of the Village and a material negative impact to residential property values; and

WHEREAS, the TAC completed its work and forwarded a final report, which includes various recommendations for improvements to the Board of Trustees in December 2001; and

WHEREAS, the Village of Barrington’s President and Board of Trustees have received and thoroughly reviewed the report in its entirety.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Village President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Barrington, Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois as follows:

SECTION 1: The Corporate authorities of Barrington find that the facts set forth in the preamble of this Resolution are true and correct.

SECTION 2: The corporate authorities hereby transmit the final TAC report to the Illinois Department of Transportation, Lake County Division of Transportation, and Cook County Highway Department.

SECTION 3: Based upon the input provided by numerous individuals residing inside and outside of the Village of Barrington and as contained in the documentation provided by the TAC that the Village of Barrington President and Board of Trustees advocate the following:

A. That it is most critical to the quality of life of the Village of Barrington as a whole and to the greater Barrington area that the historic, small town character be maintained in essentially its present state in the defining core of the Village of Barrington traversed by Route 59.

B. To that end, the Village of Barrington opposes the widening of Route 59 through the Village of Barrington and will ask the other BACOG communities to similarly oppose said widening.

C. That the historic, small town character of the Village of Barrington be maintained in essentially its present state in all other residential and commercial areas of the Village.

D. To that end, the Village of Barrington opposes the construction of alternative bypass routes reviewed by TAC.

E. That IDOT reconsider its planning for the area which generates the traffic traveling on Route 59 through Barrington, including additional options for north/south travel outside of the BACOG area which will effectively address the issues raised in the TAC report.

F. That the Village Board petition IDOT to remove Route 59, located within the corporate boundaries of the Village of Barrington, from the SRA plan adopted by IDOT.

G. That the Village of Barrington consider funding for the employment of a traffic consultant to monitor IDOT’s planning and to keep the Village Board advised of such planning; as well as consider funding for any other legal, engineering or governmental relations expenses related to promotion of its transportation preferences.

H. That IDOT review and comment on the recommendations in Section 8.3 of the TAC final report.

I. That the Village of Barrington’s Boards, Commissions and Committees which review traffic issues consider the TAC report information and recommendations when conducting such review and making recommendations to the Village Board of Trustees.

SECTION 4: This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage as provided by law.

PASSED THIS 28th DAY OF MAY, 2002 BY ROLL CALL AS FOLLOWS:

AYES Dunn, Darch Furda, Schaefer, Raseman

NAYS Yeagley, Reagle

ABSENT None

ABSTAIN None

APPROVED THIS DAY OF MAY, 2002

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VILLAGE PRESIDENT

ATTESTED AND FILED THIS

28 DAY OF MAY, 2002

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ACTING VILLAGE CLERK