McHenry County Blog

That's what people who take Walkup Avenue across Route 176 are telling me.

How long is it going to be before the two inches of asphalt are laid?

How long must traffic slow to a crawl, not once, but twice, in order to minimize damage to one's tires?

IDOT, where are you?

Labels: Asphalt, IDOT, Repaving, Route 176

Randy's Cycle place at the corner of Huntley and Main Street is selling off its inventory, starting today.

“The sale is initiated only after careful consideration,” a message to a customer read. “The state highway department will be taking over this building to expand Rt. 47 and leave us with no options. This is our way of thanking you for your business and your friendship while at the same time accomplishing our goal to empty the building.”

I went to the web site of Randy's Cycles and found this about the moving sale:

“...GIANT relocation SALE starting at 10 am sharp Thursday Oct 9th. The State of Illinois is taking our building! We will let you know our new location! Huge savings on all new and pre-owned motorcycles, scooters, and trikes! Save really big money on all apparel, helmets, riding boots, saddlebags, gloves, sunglasses, parts, batteries, brake pads, tires, accessories, and so much more! In addition to merchandise, all store fixtures, shop equipment, lifts, specialty tools, stands, pallet racks, and more must be liquidated! REGISTER FOR FANTASTIC PRIZES!! Every thing must go! Hurry in for the best selection before we sell out to the bare walls! DEALERS WELCOME We are NOT going out of business !!!!!

Mike Claffee, spokeman for IDOT, told me, “Negotiations are ongoing with the owner of the motorcycle shop.”

Labels: Huntley, IDOT, Randy's Cycles, Route 47

Last week traffic was jammed on Crystal Lake’s Route 14 because Illinois Department of Transportation road crews were patching and repaving the road.

First day of the work week and IDOT employees are out again.

This picture was taken ab out 9 AM looking East where Dole Avenue intersects with Northwest Highway.

Factoid of the day: This intersection had the first traffic light in McHenry County, according to my father.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Dole Avenue, IDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, Route 14

You have to wonder about the road improvement priorities of Governor Rod Blagojevich.

I don't often take Route 31 between Crystal Lake and McHenry.

To put it bluntly, its surface is abysmal.

Near Terra Cotta, the big valley, I've labeled the Valley of the Potholes.

It's not that one cannot find beauty in potholes, but hitting them can cause expensive damage to one's car. One at the edge of the McHenry Blacktop even cost me a new tire.

You will notice from the tire track in the hot patch that temporarily fills a large pothole in Route 31, that the repair is recent.

And temporary.

Permanent repairs are being constructed by Alliance Construction on the four-lane portion of Route 31 south of East Crystal Lake Avenue.

And someone in the Illinois Department of Transportation tell me the logic of fixing a median strip when the road down the hill is in shambles?

Labels: IDOT, Pothole, Rod Blagojevich, Route 31

Hi, Guys-

Got an idea this morning that might be worth some consideration.

Even though I thought your imposition of the quarter of one percent sales tax on me and other collar county residents was a really bad idea, maybe there is a way you can turn this lemon into lemonade.

Could the federal transportation dollars be matched by the new collar county share of the "RTA" half percent sales tax money?

You know, like you used Cook County Hospital revenue to capture federal Medicaid money?

My guess is that with state roads being the responsibility of, well, you guys, collar county governments would be unwilling to use the new RTA local sales tax dollars to repair them.

Even though state roads like Route 31 between Crystal Lake and McHenry look like the Valley of the Potholes, the McHenry County Board wouldn't want to repair it...

Unless it got “free money” from using the $9 million or so a year from its share of the new RTA sales tax.

Come to think of it, McHenry and some other collar counties levy their own Motor Fuel Taxes.

Why not use that to match the federal money, too?

Now, I'm sure that Downstate counties will cry that they are being left out.

Authorize them to levy a local gas tax. Then, they can qualify for the new source of funds as well.

Even Cook County levies a local MFT, but I think it used to go to the Cook County Jail. I am sure Todd's budget folks are creative enough to figure out how to use that gas tax to capture the federal money, if you buy my idea.

In the process, they might even make that currently misdirected tax logical.

Let them use it to fix highways or the Chicago Transit Authority. Either would be more local than using it to pay prison guards.

This might be an appropriate time to bring up something I discovered when I applied for the job of county manager in Janesville, Wisconsin. Back then, county governments built the state roads, as well as their county roads.

It seems to me that might be one reason that Wisconsin roads are generally, but not always , better than those in Illinois.

Put the McHenry County Board in charge of re-building Route 31 and I'll bet there will be a better road than if the folks in Schaumburg are in charge.

Why?

For the same reason that Valley Hi, the county nursing home, is better than the Woodstock Residence (of “Angel of Death” infamy). If someone has a complaint, they actually might be able to affect whether the county board member stays in office.

No similar threat to IDOT bureaucrats.

cal

P.S. Here's what the RTA quarter of one percent tax would have brought in last year for the collar counties:

• DuPage - $45 million
• Kane - $15.5 million
• Lake- $28.1 million
• McHenry - $9.2 million
• Will - $19.2 million

That totals $117 million

DuPage, Kane and McHenry Counties have local Motor Fuel Taxes. Here's what they brought in last year:

• DuPage - $20.8 million
• Kane - $7.6 million
• McHenry - $4.7 million

for a total of $33.1 million.

Add the two together and you have in the neighborhood of $150 million a year. You'd have to subtract the part of the new local “RTA” sales tax that is drained off for law enforcement, but it's whatever the amount, it's not on the table as matching money now.

It's certainly not enough to capture all the federal funds. That would take $

But it could get some highway projects off the ground.

Labels: IDOT, Illinois General Assembly, McHenry County Board, RTA Sales Tax

This one is in water in a pot hole on Route 31 last Sunday before it started snowing.

It's of a tree on the east side of the road.

There was no wind in the valley except for that created by the cars hurtling past.

None hit this one while I was taking pictures.

The hole had been patched once, but obviously needed a second treatment.

After driving down from the Wisconsin line, I concluded that there is going to be a tax increase to fix roads that Illinois residents will swallow.

I would hope taxpayers would not bite their tongues while being jarred by one of numerous potholes that are even on Randall Road in McHenry County.

I have never seen roads as bad as this in Illinois...not even when Governor Dan Walker called for a $50 million supplemental specifically to fix potholes.

Labels: IDOT, Pothole, Reflection, Route 31, Terra Cotta, Tree

Sunday morning we drove back from the Milwaukee area.

Because of the bad weather predictions I couldn't even sleep in.

Across the bottom of the television screen church closings were being announced.

Even under the ad for John McCain, the only presidential candidate spot I have seen this year.

But the temperature was rising.

35 degrees.

When we learned it was getting warmer, we decided to get a quick breakfast.

It was a dangerous trip.

The parking lot was icy.

When I went out to get the car, I misjudged the depth of the water next to the car, which had been dry the night before.

Thank goodness my shoes were waterproof.

I stepped into water that almost was too deep.

Just getting out of the Brookfield Suites parking lot's frontage road the water was so deep it hit the bottom of my wife's Toyota Camry.

I could see the storm drains, but snow and ice were blocking the flow of run off.

There was water at various places on Moorland Road, the four-lane local road connecting the hotel to I-43. Had we wanted to drive to Milwaukee, we could not have gotten on the Interstate from Moorland.

But, we were heading west where there was no problem getting on the road.

It was closed past the roundabout.

Under too much water.

Arriving the night before, we took one too many lefts (my mistake) and ended up going in the wrong direction. A semi did not make the circle and had to be towed out, slowing our arrival at a dinner significantly.

There were potholes on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin in Walworth County.

That's an unusual experience.

At a rest stop, the Walworth County Sheriff's deputy told me it has been constant spin out calls since 6 AM.

We saw the red one that had been featured on the local news.

There were others.

The parking lot was so bad that I didn't think I would be able to back up the car. Couldn't get traction on the ice at first.

Fog was pretty bad for some parts.

The roads had ice until we reached the Lake Geneva exit to Route 12. The temperature finally started rising above 32-33 degrees.

By the time we reached Illinois, it was above 40.

It belies Wisconsin's reputation for having better roads than Illinois.

I think Wisconsin roads are generally better than those in Illinois because the local county boards have responsibility for building and maintaining state roads.

That was the case back in the early 1970's.

You can imagine the heat McHenry County board members would take if they were in charge of maintaining Route 31.

How different is the (non-)accountability system in Illinois from the local control approach I remember from interviewing to be Rock County administrator way back then.

Of course, the system may have changed since then in Wisconsin. Can't find out the day I'm writing this, though.

After we drove past the


sign on Route 12 north of Richmond, potholes were everywhere.

Route 31 was no better.

The worst stretch of road was in the valley known as Terra Cotta.

This is truly an incredibly bumpy part of Route 31.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining the road. Some cold patch has been applied, but has worked its way partially out.

I believe it is the worst maintained state road in McHenry County.

= = = = =
The end of the John McCain television ad is on top.

Look at the wave created by a car leaving the Brookfield Suites parking lot.

The intersection of Moorland Road and Butterfield was under water.

I had plenty of time Saturday night to take the picture of the roundabout near Interstate 43's Moorland Road exit.

The I-43 passing lane the snow truck was plowing was just plain treacherous.

You can see one of the about half dozen spin outs we saw on the way back to McHenry County.

The “Welcome to Illinois” sign in the photograph was taken in October 2006. The posts for the sign in front announced road work was being done just south of the Wisconsin state line.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining Route 31, the road where you see the picture of the potholes.

The fog and rain-covered windshield photos were taken in Walworth County on Interstate 43.

All pictures were taken on February 17, 2008, and may be enlarged by clicking on them.

Labels: I-43, IDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, Pothole, Route 31, Terra Cotta, Wisconsin

This May 25th letter from too few of Illinois’ federal legislators to General Assembly leaders and Governor Rod Blagojevich urges those officials to find the $2.1 billion needed to capture the $6.1 billion in federal transportation grants approved in 2005. In part, it reads:

We encourage you to enact state legislation to provide the needed state match for the federal transportation funds we secured in 2005. If the State of Illinois does not enact a capital bill and provide the non-federal match this year, as much as $6.1 billion in federal funding could be at risk.

Our state responded after Congress passed comprehensive transportation infrastructure legislation in the late 1990’s by passing Illinois FIRST. That capital bill ensured that all federal funding secured by the Illinois Congressional Delegation could be spent on highway and transit projects. In short, thanks to the state match, no federal funds were left behind.

We hope we can count on you to enact appropriated legislation that will provide the required state match to the federal funds available to our state.

So we know Illinois has two U.S. Senators.

How many U.S. Representatives are there?

Surely more that the six I am reproducing here.

Notice that most of them are Democrats. Maybe our Republican congressmen don’t think Republican state senators and representatives are relevant.

If so, they don’t know it takes a supermajority to pass a bond bill.

I see one of McHenry County’s congressmen—Don Manzullo. Missing in action is Democrat Melissa Bean.

And, where, oh where, is U.S. Senator Barack Obama?

= = = = =
Manzullo and other area elected officials will hold a press conference at 11:45 Monday morning at the old Algonquin fire house/city hall at the southeast corner of Routes 31 and 62.

Labels: Don Manzullo, IDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, Melissa Bean, Rod Blagojevich

Good catch by Northwest Herald Opinion Page Editor Brian Slupski.

He notes that in the new six-year highway plan issued by the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Western Bypass of the Route 31-62 intersection is missing.

Even though there is $20 million of federal cash waiting to pay for part of it, compliments of Congressman Donald Manzullo.

As the planning process has dragged on, the cost has escalated, Slupski explains and now IDOT just doesn’t think it is important enough to complete by 2013.

This is the first time I have seen a congressional “earmark” disappear from IDOT’s planning process.

I think the answer is political pressure, which, of course, the Northwest Herald could help produce by putting the story on its front page as well.

Labels: Algonquin, Don Manzullo, IDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, Western Bypass

The following was received from State Rep. Mike Tryon:

IDOT Road Plan allocates $46.5 million for 64th District

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s five-year plan released on April 19, the 64th District will receive $46.5 million for highway improvements.

ILL Rte 47 is slated to receive nearly $6 million in 2008 for improvements from US 14 to Reed Road and Reed Road to Kreutzer Road. Improvements include Phase I and Phase II engineering, as well as land acquisition.

As a longtime resident of the district and a frequent traveler on Route 47, I am thrilled that this congested road will finally receive some much-needed repair as early as next year.

Also included for improvement in 2008 is ILL 176 for Phase I engineering from US 14 to IL Rte. 31 (Terra Cotta Avenue).

Other significant road projects planned from 2009 to 2013 include:

• $20 million to add lanes on U.S. 14 (Virginia St.) from Lucas Road to Crystal Lake Avenue and at Ridgefield Road and an additional $8 million for engineering and land acquisition
• $8.7 million for land acquisition for the Algonquin Bypass from the north to south junction of Rte. 31
• $1.2 million for resurfacing at Rte. 176 from U.S. 14 to Rte. 31 (Terra Cotta Ave.)
• $650,000 for intersection improvement and turning lanes to be added on Rte. 176 at Walkup Road

I am pleased to see new money allocated for additional road projects in my district as our road problems continue to worsen. I am also working on a capital fund with additional funding for projects that have been delayed including the Western Bypass in Algonquin.

Labels: IDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, Mike Tryon

The Union Pacific freight train that was roaring through Marengo with horns blasting a little after noon Saturday was not a precursor of Amtrak service to McHenry County.

That was made abundantly clear at a Rockford College presentation Saturday morning.

The once-a-day round trip Amtrak engines and coaches are on the track from Chicago to Rockford and Dubuque though.

They’re picking up speed, but not through McHenry County.

There was a clue late last week when U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s press release announcing Saturday’s meeting did not even mention McHenry County.

McHenry County officials from Huntley and Marengo attended anyway.

Under the aegis of Durbin and Congressman Don Manzullo, Amtrak officials presented the results of a study stimulated by a meeting last July.

There were three alternative routes, but the old Blackhawk route to Dubuque is the one that is so, so most likely to be selected.

Its major problem is “some congestion issues around Chicago,” where there is a need for “additional capacity.” The cost would be about $23 million for what the Amtrak chart calls the “direct route” with estimated annual ridership of 113,300 passengers.

The “Belvidere” route, which would go through Huntley and Marengo, has “no connection between Metra and Union Pacific in Elgin” and would need “a connector in Rockford.” The cost would be $32 million and the number of passengers 62,200.

Part of the route through the Rockford Airport is so bad that it would require “a complete rebuilding” and the “East is quite poor,” Franke said. The cost would be $55-62 million with 51,200.

The old Blackhawk route is the cheapest and Durbin, Manzullo and Acting Illinois Department of Transportation Director Milt Sees want action now. A cursory glance shows construction cost of $200 per annual passenger, while the Belvidere route is in the neighborhood of $513 and the airport route $1,100-1,200.

On capital cost, then, there is no question that the “direct route” is cheapest.

It wins on annual operating cost, too. The Belvidere route is 1.2 times as expensive, while the airport route is 1.24 times higher.

In absolute dollars of annual subsidy, however, the difference between the three is only $600,000.

The congress folks and IDOT want action so “now” that the public hearing will be on Monday, April 16th!

That’s two weeks from now.

And, disagreement is likely to kill the possibilities.

As Sees put it,

I, too, have been in this racket for a long time. The only way for people to get their projects is to agree.

Anytime you get into a protracted debate, you lose time and time increases money.

The window of opportunity can close on you very rapidly.

You have to help them help you,

Sees said, indicating the two congressmen.

Rockford Mayor Larry Morrisey, whose city wins regardless of which route is selected, said, “We don’t want to be fighting against ourselves. We look forward to rail coming to our communities.”

After Amtrak’s Mike Franke indicated service could be started as soon as two years from now, assuming negotiations with the railroad go well, Drubin said, “I’d sure hate to waste this construction season.”

Durbin called for “a spirit of cooperation,” for "not letting the best become the enemy of the good."

Other problems include the need for train stations.

“It’s going to be up to the locals to build the stations,” Franke said. “Five or six stations make sense.”

“Don’t come to us for earmarks for stations,” Manzullo warned.

There would be “no food service” and “the supply of Amtrak rolling stock is extremely tight.”

If Amtrak is to supply them, they will “have to be taken out of storage and rehabbed.”

Only one ordinary citizen was allowed to speak.

Janet Fisher, describing herself as “The Crazy Train Lady,” said, “I’m just thrilled with all of this. If we get something in place, it will blossom and grow.”

Manzullo wanted to know if the train could be used for commuting from Rockford to Chicago. He was told that the trip would take an hour and 45 minutes, leaving Rockford early enough for commuters and leaving Chicago at 6:15 in the evening for the return trip.

Manzullo made a point of stating,

There is not one passenger train that operates (without a subsidy).

Two of the people allowed to speak were state representatives.

Republican State Representative Dave Winters asked whether this effort could be part of the effort to extend Amtrak service to Minneapolis.

He got a “No” for an answer.

At one point, when Durbin was pointing out that it would take state legislation to change the "footprint" of Metra, Winters indicated that "very informal" talks were taking place that would apparently give the Rockford Airport Authority the power to deal with trains.

It is my impression that the Rockford Airport Authority has significant non-referendum bonding authority. Maybe local influentials intend to use that power to get money to pay for local Amtrak track repairs.

Rockford Democratic Party State Representative Chuck Jefferson was the final speaker. He was effusive in his praise of Durbin.

Also introduced was Boone County’s Republican State Rep. Ron Wait.

Attending from McHenry County were Huntley Village President Chuck Sass and Village Manager Carl Tomaso, plus Marengo Mayor Don Lockhart and City Administrator Scott Hartman.

None got an opportunity to speak at the forum.

= = = = =
The Union Pacific train was on the track speeding through Marengo right after noon.

Next can be seen the three routes being considered and the table showing the cost figures for each route.

Acting IDOT Secretary Milt Sees is below on the right.

Rockford Mayor Larry Morrisey is down to the left with Senator Dick Durbin's picture to his right.

Underneath is a photography of Congressman Don Manzullo.

Below her is "Crazy Train Lady" Janet Fisher.

The three state legislators attending come next. On top, at the left, is Dave Winters. Below him is Chuck Jefferson. To Jefferson's right is Ron Wait.

Beneath the photo credit line are pictures of Huntley Village President Chuck Sass and his Village Manager Carl Tomaso leaving the meeting.

Next is a "before meeting" shot of Belvidere Mayor Fred Brereton and Marengo Mayor Don Lockhart. Brereton got to speak, as did Boone County Board Vice Chairman David Taylor and Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen. Christiansen is seen to the left.

Labels: Amtrak, Belvidere, Chuck Jefferson, Dave Winters, Dick Durbin, Don Manzullo, Huntley, IDOT, Janet Fisher, Larry Morrisey, Marengo, Mike Franke, Milt Sees, Rockford, Ron Wait

March 22nd, McHenry County Blog was denied a copy of Amtrak’s study of the pros, cons and costs of various routes for daily round-trip service between Chicago and Dubuque via Rockford.

Here’s the reason given by the Illinois Department of Transportation, taken from the Freedom of Information Act [5ILCS 140/7 (1) (f).]:

(f) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body. The exemption provided in this paragraph (f) extends to all those records of officers and agencies of the General Assembly that pertain to the preparation of legislative documents.

Didn’t Democratic Party candidate Rod Blagojevich express support for railroad commuter service for Rockford at that first 2002 debate?

The report, by the way, is promised by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin to be at this IDOT Amtrak web page on Thursday.

He and Congressman Don Manzullo will hold a public hearing at 10 AM this Saturday at Fisher Memorial Chapel at Rockford College, 5050 E. State Street in Rockford.

Here’s the top part of Durbin’s press release:

ROCKFORD – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo will host an informational meeting to discuss the findings of the recently-completed “Feasibility Report on Proposed Amtrak Service” from Chicago to Dubuque via Rockford and Galena.

Amtrak officials will present the report’s findings and discuss several service options. Durbin and Manzullo will be joined by Amtrak Senior Director of Corridor Planning Mike Franke and Senior Director of Government Affairs Ray Lang, Illinois Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Milt Sees, officials from Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Boone, DeKalb, Ogle and Winnebago counties as well as Dubuque, Iowa and passenger rail supporters. Following the presentation, there will be a Q & A session with members of the audience.

Durbin, who has long been committed to bringing passenger rail service to the northwest Illinois region, hosted a public forum in July where local officials were able to make the case for restoration of service directly to Amtrak’s top leadership.

Anyone notice that McHenry County is not mentioned?

I hope that does not discourage Huntley, Union, Marengo and McHenry County officials from attending.

Labels: Amtrak, Dick Durbin, Don Manzullo, IDOT, Rockford

You’d think that when one public entity does a study for another public entity that maybe, just maybe, the study would be in the public domain.

I read about a study that Amtrak performed for the Illinois Department of Transportation.

It has to do with starting a one-train a day run to and from Dubuque, Iowa, but my interest is what it says about the possibility of the passenger train going through Huntley and Marengo.

I got details from Mark Magliari, Amtrak’s Chicago spokesman, but I wanted to read the report.

The March 22nd reply:

Your request has been denied for the following reason:

c. The requested records are exempt from inspection and copying pursuant to 5ILCS 140/7 (1) (f).

It’s our old friend from the Freedom of Information Act:

(f) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body. The exemption provided in this paragraph (f) extends to all those records of officers and agencies of the General Assembly that pertain to the preparation of legislative documents.

That’s the same excuse used by McHenry County College.

Labels: Amtrak, FOI, Freedom of Information Act, IDOT, Illinois Department of Transportation, McHenry County College

Does this frost anyone’s cookies but mine?

And, with the temperature as low as it is, it takes a lot to frost them.

Our esteemed Governor Rod Blagojevich has proclaimed a new bridge over the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area will be one that

"that does not toll Illinois residents."

The last time I checked the Illinois Department of Transportation drains $88 to $120 million out of the pockets of Chicago area toll road users.

Missouri and Illinois have to come up with $760 million.

If Illinois pays half, that means it will take less than three years of Motor Fuel Taxes paid by Chicagoland tollway motorists to pay for the Illinois share of the new bridge across the Mississippi.

Meanwhile, Kane County is discussing building toll bridges across the Fox River.

Thanks to Respublica for the lead for this story.

Labels: IDOT, Kane County, Mississippi, toll bridge, Tollway