Lake County Gazette

Lake County has announced progress on the Fairfield Road Planning Study, conducted by the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT), and is seeking public feedback. The announcement was made in a press release on March 3, 2025.

According to the study website, the Fairfield Road Planning Study aims to enhance mobility, economic opportunities, and quality of life while considering environmental impacts and regional transportation improvements. The goals include increasing safety, reducing congestion, providing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, and minimizing effects on wetlands, recreational areas, and historic properties. Input from stakeholders and the public will help shape a shared vision for the corridor.

The traffic and safety screening process evaluates different alternatives based on their impact on traffic operations and safety. The "No Build" option serves as a baseline. The 3-lane and 5-lane alternatives show moderate to high improvements in both traffic operations and safety with widened shoulders, separation of opposing traffic, and dedicated left-turn storage. However, the 4-lane alternative was screened out due to its low improvement in safety despite moderate improvements in traffic operations.

The final step involves refining and carrying forward the most favorable alternatives based on public and stakeholder input as well as engineering analysis. These alternatives will be considered for potential inclusion in a future five-year plan with designs recommended for further analysis during Phase I.

LCDOT is responsible for constructing, engineering, planning, and maintaining county highways to ensure compliance with the Illinois Highway Code. It also manages the county vehicle fleet, coordinates with township road districts, oversees federal transportation aid and local public transportation, reviews proposed roads for new subdivisions, and performs additional functions as required by state statutes and the county board. LCDOT aims to provide a safe, efficient transportation system to improve mobility, economic development, and quality of life while maintaining core values of integrity, safety, community service, accountability, respect, innovation, and environmental responsibility.