Project Overview:
For more than a decade, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has been actively planning, preparing various preliminary design studies and drawings, and coordinating with local governments on their plan to expand the section of Illinois Route 56 (Butterfield Road) between Naperville Road in Wheaton and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad along the western edge of the Warrenville. The proposed expansion plans call for the 2.5 mile long section of Route 56 within the City of Warrenville to be expanded from one-lane in each direction to a minimum of two-lanes in each direction, a 30-foot wide grass median in the center of the road, and additional turn lane improvements at all major intersections. A 10-12-foot wide paved shoulder is also proposed along the north and south edges of the expanded roadway east of the DuPage River and west of Williams Road.
Project Status:
On March 18, 2008, IDOT conducted a public information and input meeting where they presented their plans and collected public input on the Phase I preliminary engineering plans for this proposed roadway expansion project. In addition, as a follow-up to that meeting, the City submitted a detailed set of comments and recommendations on the Phase I preliminary engineering plans outlined in March 28, 2008 letter to IDOT.
For more than a decade, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has been actively planning, preparing various preliminary design studies and drawings, and coordinating with local governments on their plan to expand the section of Illinois Route 56 (Butterfield Road) between Naperville Road in Wheaton and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad along the western edge of the Warrenville. The proposed expansion plans call for the 2.5 mile long section of Route 56 within the City of Warrenville to be expanded from one-lane in each direction to a minimum of two-lanes in each direction, a 30-foot wide grass median in the center of the road, and additional turn lane improvements at all major intersections. A 10-12-foot wide paved shoulder is also proposed along the north and south edges of the expanded roadway east of the DuPage River and west of Williams Road.
Project Status:
On March 18, 2008, IDOT conducted a public information and input meeting where they presented their plans and collected public input on the Phase I preliminary engineering plans for this proposed roadway expansion project. In addition, as a follow-up to that meeting, the City submitted a detailed set of comments and recommendations on the Phase I preliminary engineering plans outlined in March 28, 2008 letter to IDOT.
Upon reviewing the IDOT’s response, the City prepared and forwarded to IDOT a response letter, dated September 9, 2009, reiterating the City’s position on certain proposed improvements and emphasizing the need for specific design changes and upgrades that are deemed necessary from the City of Warrenville’s perspective in order to minimize the impact of the proposed Butterfield Road widening on the community.
In September of 2009, the City received a copy of the IDOT Phase II preliminary engineering new plans prepared by Christian Roge & Associates, Inc. for IDOT. Paper copy of the plans is available for review upon request at the Community Development Department of the City of Warrenville.
The City staff reviewed the new Phase II preliminary engineering plans and prepared an official response letter to IDOT, dated November 25, 2009. The response letter was presented to and approved by the Community Development and Planning Committee of the Whole at their November 23, 2009 meeting.
In September of 2009, the City received a copy of the IDOT Phase II preliminary engineering new plans prepared by Christian Roge & Associates, Inc. for IDOT. Paper copy of the plans is available for review upon request at the Community Development Department of the City of Warrenville.
The City staff reviewed the new Phase II preliminary engineering plans and prepared an official response letter to IDOT, dated November 25, 2009. The response letter was presented to and approved by the Community Development and Planning Committee of the Whole at their November 23, 2009 meeting.
Route 56 Streetscape Work Group:
In order for the City to make informed decisions on what enhanced streetscape improvements it would work with IDOT to implement in conjunction with the construction of the proposed Route 56 expansion project, the City Council established the Route 56 Streetscape Work Group in July of 2009. The Work Group is made up of representatives from the City Council, Plan Commission, Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Environmental Commission, America in Bloom and City staff.
With the approval of the City Council, the Work Group has enlisted the services of Hitchcock Design Group, a landscape architectural consultign firm from Naperville, to help them complete their assignment and coordinate with IDOT on streetscape improvement related issues.
Route 56 Streetscape Work Group Basic Priority (Phase I) Recommendations to the City Council were presented to and unanimously approved by the City Council at their MArch 15, 2010, meeting. A copy of the presentation can be viewed/downloaded here.
Project Funding:
This project is currently funded in the IDOT’s Fiscal Year 2010 to 2015 Proposed Highway Improvement Program and is subject to fund availability and project readiness. The Highway Improvement Program can be downloaded/viewed at the IDOT’s website at http://www.dot.il.gov/hip1015/district/dupage.pdf
This project is currently funded in the IDOT’s Fiscal Year 2010 to 2015 Proposed Highway Improvement Program and is subject to fund availability and project readiness. The Highway Improvement Program can be downloaded/viewed at the IDOT’s website at http://www.dot.il.gov/hip1015/district/dupage.pdf
Questions for the IDOT should be addressed to:
Illinois Department of Transportation
Division of Highways – District One
Attn.: Mr. Mir Mustafa
Bureau of Programming
201 West Center Court
Schaumburg, IL 60196-1096
City of Warrenville Position/Requests forwarded in writing and communicated at the IDOT Public Hearing:
Illinois Department of Transportation
Division of Highways – District One
Attn.: Mr. Mir Mustafa
Bureau of Programming
201 West Center Court
Schaumburg, IL 60196-1096
City of Warrenville Position/Requests forwarded in writing and communicated at the IDOT Public Hearing:
On Monday, February 4, 2008, the Warrenville City Council unanimously approved a Resolution Memorializing Official City of Warrenville Policy Position relative to the Expansion of Illinois Route 56. The City’s Old Town/Civic Center Subarea Plan (5.61 Mb) recommends this section of Route 56 be reconstructed as a pedestrian friendly, tree-lined, boulevard between Williams Road and the West Branch of the DuPage River. The City requests the following plan modifications:
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Reduce the posted speed on the expanded road from 45 mph to 35 mph.
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Reduce the overall width of the proposed roadway/pavement cross-section by narrowing the width of the through lanes of traffic from 12 feet to 11 feet and the width of the concrete gutter along the outside edges of the road from 24 inches to 12 inches.
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Add additional at-grade pedestrian crossing improvements designed to accommodate safe pedestrian/bicycle crossing of Route 56 by:
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Providing a new designated pedestrian crossing at or near the Route 56/Rockwell intersection through the installation of a traffic signal interconnected with Batavia Road or alternatively, a properly designed and designated mid-block crossing.
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Providing countdown pedestrian signal heads at all signalized intersections that include crosswalks.
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Providing an “area of refuge” in center medians at intersections that include crosswalks.
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Increasing the size and configuration of “corner islands” at intersections that include crosswalks to allow for these islands to be utilized as areas of refuge for the pedestrian crosswalks.
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Incorporate the use of native planted bioswales to filter the “first flush” of the stormwater runoff from the proposed roadway improvements.
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Utilize the unimproved portion of right-of-way located along the south edge of the proposed expanded roadway to accommodate the implementation of additional “extra” linear, shallow, native planted, stormwater detention to reduce the peak volume of runoff from the new roadway improvements.
While the City recognizes the need for and supports the expansion of Route 56, the City continues to request that the roadway expansion project is implemented in a manner that (i) is sensitive to existing and consistent with the planned future character of Warrenville, (ii) minimizes negative impacts to the quality of life in the City, (iii) prevents the roadway from further becoming a physical barrier between the north and south sides of the City, and (iv) accommodates multiple safe and inviting pedestrian/bike crossings in the central core of the community.
