Coal City wants more time to comment

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COAL CITY – Village officials want to extend the public comment period on proposed improvements of Interstate 55 at Lorenzo Road, and Illinois 129 in Will County.

Mayor Neal Nelson is asking the Illinois Department of Transportation to continue the public comment period to Sunday, Nov. 1.

“Because the information presented at the Sept. 16 meeting was not available in handout forms at the meeting, nor have these new proposals been added to the Web site,” Nelson noted in a letter to IDOT saying the village wants to review the proposed alternatives and seek advice and comment from local officials and residents.

The Sept. 16 meeting at Coal City was to allow public review and comment on the proposal.

The issue involves improvement of the three interchanges on I-55 at Lorenzo Road, Illinois 129, and Illinois 113.

IDOT is saying the interchanges – as they now stand – are not sufficient for projected future traffic needs.

The state is working on the proposal to reconfigure the interchanges on I-55 from River Road to Coal City. This might also consist of improving the interstate roadway and adjacent frontage roads.

Nelson says the village is very interested in reviewing the proposals and providing comments to IDOT.

He said the village wants Illinois 113 included in the BNSF Railroad Corridor, and suggested the state not eliminate the Lorenzo Road exit.

“There is a nuclear plant (Dresden Generating Station) nearby, and Lorenzo Road is one of the disaster escape routes for residents,” he said.

“This would have a major impact on our area to close Lorenzo Road.”

In a 2008 letter on the issue to IDOT’s District 1 in Schaumburg, Village Administrator Matt Fritz noted the village supports industrial development and diversification of property tax from non-residential growth.

However, bringing 40,000 trucks per day from the proposed Ridgeport Industrial Warehouse Development northeast of Diamond in Will County would significantly increase traffic on Illinois 113 in Coal City, he wrote.

He believes those affected by the proposal should be compensated for any detrimental effects.

The proposal definitely favors the Ridgeport development “as IDOT will tell you,” he said Wednesday.

“They’re trying to come up with a means of addressing the situation. This always brings up the public versus private debate, realizing that this may occur. Or, can you attribute it to certain development, and development, not taxpayers, should be paying for it?” Fritz added.

Coal City is not opposed to reconstruction on Illinois 129.

“We’re saying that as long as you’re looking at this corridor and possible Ridgeport development, look at Illinois 113 and a higher traffic count,” he said.

“When the trains come through the village, it will impact traffic on Illinois 113 west. The study should be open all the way to the BNSF tracks.”

Fritz expects IDOT to respond to the request to extend the public comment period.

Construction on the proposal is slated for 2012.

“They’re kicking around possible construction in 2012,” Fritz said. “Then, there’s going to be a lot of things happen in short order to make that occur.”

Trustee Terry Halliday noted during Monday evening’s village council meeting that closing the Lorenzo Road interchange would be a major change.