Historical Background

Over the last 50 years the need for another river crossing has been evaluated by various agencies. The following is a summary of those efforts that preceded the start of the Caton Farm – Bruce Road Phase I Study:

• Over the last 40 years the need for another river crossing has been evaluated by various agencies. The following is a summary of these efforts.

• 1962 Federal Transportation Bill required that population centers with more than 50,000 populations, to have a 20-year Plan for future Transportation development.

• Joliet Area Transportation Study was formed in mid 1960’s with representation from all municipalities and Will County. Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) was the lead agency; a consulting engineering firm was hired to prepare the 20-year Plan.

• In 1969 after 4 years of studies and coordination, the plan recommended “1985 plan for the Will County” included among many other recommendations: A Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road connection and a high-level bridge with a north/south connection to Illinois Route 7 via Cedar Road, as a Major Roadway.

• In the early 1960’s The Fox Valley Freeway studied by IDOT and that study identified a major river crossing as “143 rd Street Freeway”, crossing the DesPlaines River valley in the vicinity of 143rd Street. This study was terminated without addressing how the future traffic be accommodated.

• 1970, Illinois Route 7 High-Level Bridge was constructed by IDOT and opened to traffic.

• 1981 The Division Street Bridge was damaged by a barge and subsequently closed to through traffic.

• 1988 Lockport Township “Feasibility Study and Report for a High Level Vehicular Bridge Over the Des Plaines River and Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in Lockport Township”. That study recommended a high-level bridge and continuity of roadway network to Illinois Route 7.

• 1989, State passed an increase in the gas tax. As part of this gas tax increase, IDOT initiated the Strategic Regional Arterial (SRA) studies as part of the “Operation Green Light initiative”. SRA System Overview indicated that, in the future (a 20 year time horizon) road travel in Northeastern Illinois will be 20 percent heavier than 1990 levels. That estimate of projected traffic developed by the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) was significant to the point that the IDOT has directed its current planning to address the need to meet future transportation requirements in the year 2010.

• 1991 Lockport Township prepared “ Feasibility study for a high level vehicular bridge over the Des Plaines River Valley at Caton Farm Road /Bruce Road “. This study concluded and recommended that the bridge was feasible, and also recommended the formation of a multi –agency task force to coordinate the regional transportation studies which involve the bridge and other transportation issues in the area.

• 1990’s, IDOT re-initiated the study of the Fox Valley Expressway. Their east-west corridor in this area was along the Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road alignment. After few years into the study IDOT dropped the Fox Valley Expressway. Instead they proposed extensive arterial improvements along existing roadways and/or SRA roadways.

• 1991/1992 135th Street Bridge was closed to traffic due to the structural deficiencies. The traffic was diverted mostly to Illinois Route 7 and to Lemont Road; the traffic congestion on Illinois Route 7, during the 135th Street Bridge closure is at an extreme. For the next several years that the 135th Street Bridge was closed to traffic, the Local Agencies concentrated their efforts in reopening and funding of 135th Street Roadway/Bridge instead of addressing the Caton Farm Road/Bruce Roadway/Bridge need.

• 1991/1992 IDOT initiated their Strategic Regional Arterial study for the U.S. Route 6/IL Route 7 corridor. This corridor originally extended from IL Route 59 in Will County east along portions of Renwick Road, IL Route 7, and U.S. Route 6 to Il Route 83 in Calumet City, IL. (See the attached map) The length of this corridor is about 38 miles long.

• July 7, 1992 IDOT held a coordination meeting with Will County, Homer Township, and Lockport to introduce the SRA process. During this study Homer Township requested a 300-foot right-of-way to accommodate a major road from Farrell Road to Will/Cook County line. THE SRA study investigated both the IL Route 7/Renwick Road and Bruce Road/Caton Farm Road alignments with various connections along Cedar Road, Wolf Road, and U.S. Route 45.

• June 16, 1993 IDOT held a coordination meeting with local officials and interested parties along the routes. The route alternatives for SRA designation were presented. The SRA Panel agreed with the recommendation to use the southern alignment (Bruce Road/Caton Farm Road/Cedar Road/IL Route 7). After extensive studies and public involvement, it was agreed to shift the SRA designation west of Cedar Road to Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road. Improvements to the existing IL Route 7 corridor were judged to have serious deficiencies at the Des Plaines River Valley bridge, as well as significant impacts to the historic districts in the City of Lockport and to the Renwick Heron Rookery. Shifting the SRA route to the Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road corridor and providing a new river crossing would also create a well-spaced grid network of arterial routes traversing the Des Plaines River Valley with the existing IL Route 7 crossing located 1.5 miles to the north and the existing IL Route 53 crossing located 2 miles to the south.

• May 31, 1994 A public hearing was held for the SRA study at Lockport Township High School – East Campus. Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road connection to IL Route 7 via Cedar Road was presented. No opposition was expressed to this proposal.

• February 1995 IDOT completes the final SRA report which recommended the Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road corridor. The report also recommended a connection from Bruce Road to IL Route 7 via Cedar Road.
  
• Mid 1990’s IDOT initiates a study for adding additional lanes to Illinois Route 7 from the proposed I-355 interchange east to Illinois Route 7/US Route 6 intersection.

• 1997 October, The CATS published its 2020 SRA map; the Caton Farm/Bruce Road/Cedar Road Illinois Route 7 SRA is indicated on that map.

• 1998, 135th Street Bridge was opened to through traffic. In 1999 the 135th Street Bridge carried 13,500 vehicles per day. The 135th Street project cost is over 25 million Dollars.

• 1994-2000 Will County Land Use Department initiated a study to develop the “Will County 2020 Transportation Plan”.

• Seven workshops were held throughout Will County to explain the proposed 2020 Transportation Plans.

• Over 20 other meetings with elected officials and the publics were held to explain the 2020 transportation Plan and receive input.

• In all of the above meetings the Transportation Plan was recommending a major arterial roadway along the Caton Farm/Bruce/Cedar/Illinois Route 7 alignment.

• 1999 Now that the 135th Street Bridge is opened to traffic, a committee is established to initiate a study for Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road/Cedar Road/Illinois 7. The membership of the committee include the following: Plainfield Township, Lockport Township, Homer Township, City of Joliet, Crest hill, Lockport and Will County. The committee members elected Will County, as the Lead Agency for the study, due the Caton Farm Road/Bruce Road/Cedar Road/ Illinois 7 roadway would be a regional roadway. The Will County Department of Highways was assigned the task of implementing the study. During 1999 and 2000 the committee meets with various Federal, State and Local officials to gain funding for the study and establish the parameters of the study. Since funding of this bridge/roadways is beyond the resources of Will County and other committee members, the committee is informed that in order to be eligible for future Federal and State funding it must follow very specific guidelines in the limits and scope of the project.

• September of 2000, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and IDOT established the Study Limits and scope of the study. The consultant selection also proceeded and in the summer of 2001 all of the three consulting firms were authorized to initiate the study. It is estimated that the Study will take about three years to complete.

• December 21, 2000 Resolution #00-481, Will County Board approved and adopted the 2020 Transportation Plan, as guideline for the future Will County Highway improvements. The plan recommended construction of a major arterial roadway along the Caton Farm/Bruce/Cedar/Illinois Route 7 alignment.

• 2001 Village of Homer Glen was incorporated as a “Village”.

• 2002 Villages of Homer Glen and New Lenox are to be added to the committee. Since the villages will be impacted by the Caton Farm/Bruce Road Project

• April 9, 2002 First public meeting was held for the Caton Farm/Bruce Road Project to inform the public of the study.