Homer Glen residents raise concerns on Will County Route 1 expansion: ‘We don’t want more traffic’

Will County is studying improvements for a 4-mile corridor in parts of Homer Glen, Homer Township and New Lenox Township, but some residents are concerned the work will destroy mature trees, affect wildlife and invite more truck traffic.

Christina Kupkowski, a project manager with the Will County Division of Transportation, said the Parker-Hadley Road corridor was last reconstructed 42 years ago and has reached the end of its useful life.

The corridor, known as County Highway 1, goes from the intersection of Parker Road and U.S. Route 6 on the south, then north on Parker Road, northeast on Chicago-Bloomington Trail to Hadley Road and ends at Will-Cook Road.

The county is tagging trees along the heavily forested route to study the habitats for the northern long-eared bat, which was named an endangered species in March 2022 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kupkowski said. The bat uses the dense trees for roosting and foraging and all trees adjacent to the corridor must be surveyed, she said.

Kupkowski said the county does not know what trees or how many would have to be removed.

The road, which is one lane in each direction, is too narrow and Kupkowski said it will be widened from 20-feet to 24-feet wide, and the shoulders will change from a 2-foot wide gravel shoulder to an 8-foot wide paved shoulder. Drainage problems will also be addressed through ditch improvements.

The county is also studying whether to include left turn lanes or roundabouts at some intersections. Roundabouts at Parker Road and Chicago-Bloomington Trail and at Bell Road and Hadley Road have the potential to reduce potential accidents, Kupkowski said.

“It’s such a pretty area out there,” said Beth Rodgers, who travels the route daily. “There’s no way to widen the road without damaging the trees.”

Rodgers said during her eight years as a Homer Glen trustee, there were no complaints about accidents or public safety.

County data says in a six-year period there were 44 accidents in the segment of road between Parker and Will-Cook roads with 11 of them having some type of injury, but no fatalities.

Homer Glen resident Sharon Sweas said the road is similar to other rural, country roads throughout Will County and serves its purpose for local traffic. She said there are concerns the project will affect wildlife, destroy trees and add traffic and noise.

“What is concerning to residents is the destruction of a beautiful part of our community,” she said. “They will cut through the heart of Homer Glen.”

Homer Glen resident Bob Betouni, a former truck driver, said the improvements will invite more truck traffic. Because of the proximity to Interstates 80 and 355, truck drivers could take alternative routes to bypass truck scales if they feel they are carrying too much weight, he said. The growth in warehouses nearby has put more trucks on the roads, he said.

“That area is beautiful,” he said. “Homer Glen promises open space and country. They are taking that away from us.”

There are a lot of residents along the corridor upset with the proposal, said resident Kyle Surges.

While he can understand the county wants to improve safety, the road is in great shape, he said. Accidents are usually a result of speeding or distracted driving, not road conditions, and the area would benefit more from increased sheriff’s patrols than a reconstruction project, he said.

“It’s a really nice road,” he said. “I’m surprised it’s 40 years old. If it’s improved, it will be more truck friendly. We don’t want more traffic through our residential neighborhood.”

Surges said it would be a shame to lose the mature trees.

Daily Southtown

Twice-weekly

---

News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday

By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

>

County officials are taking resident feedback through Aug. 9, through the project’s website, www.parkerhadleystudy.com, or in writing to the county’s transportation department at 16841 W. Laraway Road, Joliet IL, 60433.

The county plans to collect data from nearby residents during the first phase of the study. Data can include information about where other drainage issues are prevalent or which sections of the road have near-accidents that aren’t reported to the sheriff’s department, Kupkowski said.

The first phase could last up to two years with design and right of way acquisitions taking another 1 ½ to two years, Kupkowski said. Actual construction wouldn’t begin until at least 2028 under the best case scenario, she said.

Comments will also help the county come up with the best design that makes sense for the surrounding community and does not impede safety, Kupkowski said. For instance, some sections of the road may not need as large of a shoulder as long as it provides safety, she said.

The county plans a public information meeting in November and a public hearing next summer.

“This is just the starting point,” Kupkowski said.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.