159th Street Improvements Project
An Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Public Hearing took place on
Tuesday, May 20, 2011 at Homer Junior High School in Homer Glen to discuss the proposed
improvement of U.S.
Route 6/Illinois Route 7 (159th Street) from I-355 to west of U.S. Route 45 (LaGrange Road)
in Will and Cook Counties.
Agenda
Documents from the public hearing are available below in PDF format.
159th Street Corridor Communities Seek Public Input on Improvement Strategies
Press Release February 8, 2010:
Six municipalities along the 159th Street Corridor have been collaborating on a long-term vision for physical improvements and a common marketing strategy for 159th Street, and are now seeking public input through an on-line survey before recommendations are finalized. The Corridor varies greatly through the study area, from a rural character at the west end in Homer Glen through Orland Park, Orland Hills, Tinley Park and Oak Forest to a fully developed character at the east end in Markham. The study seeks to identify an overall theme for enhancements and marketing efforts, and to improve the
corridor's function, appearance and marketability in conjunction with future roadway improvements by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
"All of the communities along this corridor have a mutual interest in working
with IDOT and Will and Cook Counties to ensure that future improvements are of
the highest quality, and that they address the needs of all users," said Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin.
The right design will have a positive impact not just on vehicle mobility, but also on pedestrian, bicycle and transit access. In order to avoid 159th Street becoming a dangerous high-speed highway that divides communities, the communities can work together to achieve good design objectives. These strategies are intended to work toward redeveloping 159th Street as a
"Complete Street" where pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and cross a complete street. Targeted capital improvements can create a safer, more attractive place, providing a more positive perception of the Corridor as a vibrant shopping and recreational destination for the south suburbs
The draft report that includes design and marketing concepts that have been developed is available for viewing on-line at:
Draft Report
Residents, property owners and business owners with an interest in the future of the 159th Street Corridor are encouraged to view these concepts and provide feedback through the brief on-line survey, which will be available at least through February, 2010 at:
On-line Survey
"Our Steering Committee decided that providing an opportunity to respond to
an on-line survey would be the best way to get feedback from as many interested
stakeholders as possible," said Bob Sullivan, Orland Park Planning Director. This feedback will be taken into consideration as representatives of each community meet to discuss improvement priorities and implementation strategies in spring 2010.
The 159th Street Corridor Plan is being developed with grant funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation, supplemented with matching funds from the participating communities, which include (from east to west) Markham, Oak Forest, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Orland Hills and Homer Glen.
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Highway Department General Information
All road maintenance, including snow
plowing and street lights, in both unincorporated Homer Township and within
the Village of Homer Glen, is provided by the Homer Township Highway
Department. The Village of Homer Glen contracts with Homer Township Highway Department for
road services.
Certain streets (i.e. 143rd Street, Bell Road, 159th Street) are under the
jurisdiction of the
Will County Department of Highways or the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Homer Township Highway
Department
14400 W. 151st St.
Homer Glen, IL 60491
Phone (708) 301-0246
Fax (708) 301-0436
On December 18, 2007, the Village Board adopted a Transportation Plan. For
more information, please contact Village Hall.
Transportation Plan (PDF 4 MB) Please note that Chapter 8 has been changed.
A revised Chapter 8 will be included on this page soon.
How Does Homer Glen's Transportation Plan Affect You?
Are you concerned about speeding vehicles in your neighborhood? Have you ever
been stuck in a traffic jam? Are you worried about the congestion on our
roadways or the amount of truck traffic in your neighborhood? Do you enjoy
biking, walking, or horse back riding and wish there were more trails in our
community? Are you concerned about air pollution? If you answered yes to any of
the above questions, then Homer Glen's Transportation Plan is of importance to
you.
With the help of the Village's new Transportation Plan, Homer Glen will be
able to provide a coordinated sustainable system of roadways, pedestrian
facilities, recreational pathways, and public transportation service over the
next ten years. The Transportation Plan will assist in the safe and efficient
movement of vehicles and pedestrians while ensuring we remain a "community and nature
in harmony".
The Transportation Plan's objectives demonstrate how Homer Glen will
address the communities' transportation concerns. Listed below are a few
examples:
- Safety
The Plan evaluates the need for
guardrails, street lighting, roadway profiles, and traffic calming measures that
will improve safety on our streets.
- Congestion
The Plan identifies an
integrated transportation and land use plan that minimizes congestion and
investigates connectivity issues within residential neighborhoods.
- Countryside Character
The Plan promotes
the Core values of Homer Glen's 'Green Vision' by requiring wide,
naturally landscaped corridors for major roadways.
- Trail System
The Plan develops a
comprehensive network of multi-use trails and greenways to link residential
subdivisions with schools, parks, shopping areas, public facilities, open
spaces, forest preserves and other multi-use trails in the area.
For information regarding the development of Will County's long-term
comprehensive transportation plan click on the link below:
Will County 2030 Transportation Plan
Caton Farm - Bruce Road Study: Proposed Action for
New Bridge and Highway
From the Will County
website:
"The purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide a
transportation system improvement that will address capacity, operational, and
safety deficiencies; and satisfy projected 2030 travel demands within a regional
corridor extending between Caton Farm Road at U.S. Route 30 and IL Route 7
(159th Street) at Cedar Road. Specifically, the proposed system improvements
should accommodate population and employment growth, provide improved system
linkage by providing a new bridge over the Des Plaines River, accommodate
projected transportation demand, optimize modal interrelationships and increase
travel safety in the study area."
"The project corridor is located on the urban fringes
between the Chicago and Joliet metropolitan areas. The project corridor has
undergone rapid growth including development within existing municipalities,
municipal expansion through annexation and infill development. The project
corridor extends a length of approximately 10 miles and encompasses an area of
125 square miles. It is located approximately 30 miles southwest of the City of
Chicago and just three miles north of Joliet within northern Will County."