The effort to build a IL Route 53/120 Extension got a boost Thursday, when the Illinois Toll Highway Authority Board authorized the project to move forward with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
“Over the last four years, a diverse group of leaders worked to develop an innovative vision for the IL Route 53/120 project that balances a desire for traffic congestion relief opportunities with a need for enhanced environmental and community protections,” Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor said. “I want to thank the Tollway Board for approving an EIS for the IL Route 53/120 project and their commitment to further evaluate this project.”
An EIS is a preliminary development step that assesses all available options and the impact of those options on the environment. The assessment period will include several public hearings and meetings.
The proposed extension would be a four lane, 25-mile road that connects the current end of Route 53 on Lake Cook Road north to Route 120, offering additional connections to Route 12 and I-94.
The Illinois Toll Highway Authority Board launched the project in 2011 by organizing a group with a mandate to put together a comprehensive development plan that could be agreed to by all local stakeholders.
The project that's resulted is designed to relieve traffic congestion, have minimal environmental impact and is also feasibly funded. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has also praised the project for having the greatest positive impact on traffic and the local economy.
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