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TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

August 22, 2003

The Kane County Board’s Transportation Committee met Friday, August 22, 2003, in the County Board Room, Bldg. “A”, Kane County Government Center, Geneva, .

Members present: Chairman Wyatt, Barrett, Hoscheit, Hurlbut (late), Kudlicki, Neuberger (late), Walter and Wolfe. Also present: Co. Bd. Member Allan; Special Asst. State’s Atty. Chesbrough; KDOT Dir. Rogowski and staff Rickert, Skidmore, Sirotzke, Files, Tabbert, Bush, et al.; Transportation consultant Fitzpatrick; Village of Wayne Mayor Phipps and staff Schoengart; St. Charles Mayor Klinkhamer; members of the press and public.

The meeting was called to order at 9 a.m.

Minutes of the June 27, 2003, meeting were approved on motion by Kudlicki, seconded by Wolfe.

PUBLIC COMMENT - None

INFORMATION Status of Division Activities and Status of Funds for the period ending July 31, 2003, was placed on file on motion by Wolfe, seconded by Hoscheit. Dir. Rogowski commented briefly on current projects beginning with the Resurfacing Program, now 100% complete and on budget. The Paratransit Planning Coordinating Council held its kick-off meeting on August 5. Lynn O’Shea was named interim chairman; the next meeting will be slated in the fall. Two subcommittees were formed: the By-Laws and Memorandum of Understanding Subcommittee and the Membership Subcommittee. Both of these will meet on September 9. Rogowski also commented on the nomination of Thurnau Road for the Rustic Road Program. A public hearing is slated for August 28 at 7 p.m. at the Rutland Township Hall. At the close of the hearing, the Historic Preservation Commission is expect to make a recommendation for the county’s Development and Transportation Committees. If approved, Thurnau will be the first Rustic Road named under the new program. A number of roads are scheduled for closure between now and next month’s meeting. Notable were the lane closures on between August 18 and August 29 for repair work by the Canadian National Railroad on the crossing south of Hopps Road. Full road closure is anticipated on August 27 for one hour between 6 am - 7 am. (Hurlbut arrived.) A detour route will be posted. Walter verified that the police and other agencies in the area are all aware of the one hour closing and do not expect any problems. He later asked about the design work on Randall at the CC&P Railroad and if that will only include going over the tracks. Per Rogowski, the report on the Phase I local study will include both the underpass and overpass options. The final decision will be based on funding that will be available. In other activities, work is proceeding on the Metra West Line. In connection with that, the Bunker Road Bridge contract has been awarded and preliminary work is beginning. The widening project on Big Timber is progressing. Big Timber Road itself is closed and detours are in place. KDOT has undertaken a large effort with municipalities, townships, state, tollway and others to coordinate construction projects during 2004 to minimize the impact to motorists and reduce congestion. Finally, Dir. Rogowski conveyed staff’s sorrow on the loss of their dear friend and co-worker, Dave Grupe, the department’s Construction Manager. A dedication, yet to be named, in appreciation of his 34½ years of service to the county is planned for later in the year. (Neuberger arrived.)

COMMITTEE REVIEW (*moved by/seconded by) Speed Limit Ordinance for St. Charles Township Speed limits of 30 mph and 25 mph are being recommended for various streets in the Fox Crest, Fox River Heights, Fox River Heights No. 2, Hawthorne Ridge and Miller’s No. 2 subdivisions. *Hoscheit/Wolfe Staff was asked if the changes are the result of a neighborhood request or the township and said they usually start out in the neighborhood or township but rather than address them piecemeal, KDOT is taking the initiative to address the speed limits comprehensively and thus the reason for the lengthy list of changes. The township’s highway commissioner will be contacted as to how the neighborhoods will be notified of the changes (sign flags, etc.) Electrical Maintenance Contract - Supplemental Appropriation ($20,000 to Meade Electric) *Wolfe/Kudlicki Road Name Change - Renaming of Greenlawn Avenue in St. Charles Township to Park Avenue *Hoscheit/Walter Adopt-A-Highway *Wolfe/Hurlbut Two requests were received: Construction Detailers, Inc. - Silver Glen Road from Randall Road to IL Route 31 and Engineering Enterprises, Inc. - Bliss Road from Denny Road to Norris Road

COMMITTEE REVIEW Project Updates Transportation Committee - 2 - August 22, 2003

Fox River Bridges (Tom Rickert) - Staff has received IDOT’s preliminary review of the geometrics and the KDOT consultants are addressing their comments. The Stearns Road Greenway Corridor Vision Document is being finalized for presentation to the Forest Preserve’s Executive Committee in September. With regard to the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor and the lawsuit by a citizens group, Rickert reported the group’s motion for a summary judgment was filed with the court on August 1. There have been some changes in the court schedule and Rickert communicated the critical dates relative to that. The status hearing held on March 31, 2003, was continued to October 2003. Otherwise, the county continues to acquire properties for both corridors. Staff expects to receive funding authorization from IDOT in the very near future with regard to the $7 million for the Stearns Road Corridor. Once received, they will initiate the process for acquisition of the Midwest Groundcovers property. Staff is also in the process of finalizing an agreement with DuPage County for their participation in the Stearns Road Corridor for that portion of the road that lies in DuPage. Rickert also discussed the agreements between the county, the Kane County Forest Preserve District and the Dundee Township Park District as part of the final EIS. In the agreements, the county agreed to acquire additional open space to mitigate impacts to existing open space areas that are associated with the proposed CCP/Stearns Road and Longmeadow Parkway Corridors. As Hickory Hills Park was originally purchased with federal money, no part of the park can be sold but the Dundee Township Park District can and has agreed to a land exchange involving comparable or better parcels. (Hurlbut steps away.) One of the parcels the county has agreed to acquire, to compensate for the Park District land, is a 10-acre site west of the Fox River on the Brunner Farm. In the spirit of those agreements and to keep working toward the open space goals of each project, staff will be approaching the owners of each affected property to begin acquisition discussions. St. Charles Request - Red Gate Bridge (From Executive Committee - Tom Rickert) In a separate but related issue, committee took up the request of the City of St. Charles that the county transfer developer contribution funds it has collected from the Fox Mill Subdivision for a bridge to be constructed north of the City. The City of St. Charles plans to use the money on Phase I engineering on a Red Gate Road Bridge with the hope that it will attract some state or other funding. Mayor Susan Klinkhamer and some of her staff were present to answer questions. Prior to the mayor’s comments, committee heard background from Rickert on how the funds came to be collected and some historical perspective on bridge studies at that time. To assist with that, committee was given several handouts. The first was a letter from Mayor Klinkhamer to Co. Bd. Chairman McCoy, dated August 19, 2003, in which she makes a formal request for the monies. The second was a copy of the County Development Committee Minutes dated May 19, 1992, which records the discussion concerning the developer’s commitment to contribute $500 per lot for a total payment of $339,500 over the course of the development. The third was a portion of the Petition to Rezone in which the developer agrees to dedicate certain areas of right of way and agrees to a $500 per lot contribution. The fourth was a copy of the County Board Proceedings, dated July 14, 1992, which reflect the adoption of Res. 92-165, Designating Future Fox River Bridge Crossings. The fifth and last handout was a report on the fees collected. The following is an account of Rickert’s report and committee’s extensive discussion: The reason for the developer’s contribution had to do with some letters from the City of St. Charles (to the county) from 1990-1992 in which the City expresses serious concerns relative to the impact of the Fox Mill development on IL Rt. 64. (The development is within the mile and a half jurisdiction of the City.) In May 1992, during the development process, it came down to the City being very concerned about signing off on the plat and approving the development. Consequently, the developer ended up agreeing to contribute $500 per lot to address the bridges needed north of the City of St. Charles. Rickert cautioned that the wording in the 1992 Minutes and in the Petition to Rezone is important because there is nothing in the PUD Agreement about the developer contributing $500 per lot. It was a last minute decision by the developer to alleviate the concerns of the City of St. Charles. The 1992 Minutes state the developer requested the bridge be built in the central portion of Kane County. At the time in 1992, the county was looking at over 20 bridge locations. Of particular interest in the St. Charles area was a bridge that would cross the river at Dean Street and then tie back into Rt. 64. Crossings at Crane, Country Club, Red Gate Road and Stearns Road were also being studied. Res. 92-165 was adopted shortly after the study at around the same time as the Fox Mill development was approved. The resolution states the Div. of Transportation reviewed a great deal of information that was produced at the time relative to bridge crossings in the St. Charles area and identifies three bridge crossings that Transportation staff had determined were needed in the area between the City of St. Charles and the Village of South Elgin: 1) A regional bridge paralleling the Central Pacific Railroad between Randall Road and Stearns Road; 2) A subregional 2-lane bridge between IL31 and IL25 from Red Gate Road to IL25; and 3) A local bridge within the corporate limits of the City of St. Charles to be constructed by the City of St. Charles. The resolution also states that the County Board will work with local, state and federal agencies to proceed with the planning, engineering and construction of the bridge sites. (Hurlbut returns.) During this time, the primary focus of the County Board was the Red Gate and Stearns Road bridge corridors. Rickert believes that in 1992 many individuals looked at the Red Gate Road Corridor as a local bridge and many anticipated the $500 per lot contribution would generally be spent on the Red Gate project and Stearns Road. Rickert again pointed out that the purpose of the developer’s contribution was to ensure that a bridge would be built and Red Gate was a strong part of the discussions at that time as it offered the most benefit with regard to relieving the traffic congestion on IL64. In 1992 Transportation Committee - 3 - August 22, 2003

studies showed that a bridge north of the City would reduce traffic on IL64 by approx. 9,000 vehicles a day. By contrast, more recent studies show 51,000 more vehicles are projected for that area by the year 2020 which means more bridges will be needed to accommodate that traffic. By the year 2030, the capacity needs will be even greater. So, in 1992, the Red Gate corridor was a major consideration of the County Board. To date, $362,000 has been collected in contributions and this money is deposited in the County Highway Fund. (Spreadsheets are kept on each of the separate developer contributions.) Barrett thought it interesting that the money is held in a county fund but not a separate bank account and posed a question about language in the Petition to Rezone which states “Developer agrees to contribute to a fund to be established to the County of Kane, to be set aside in a fund for the construction of a bridge across the Fox River, including any highway connections and approaches thereto to be constructed within the central area of Kane County, the sum of $500.00 per lot.” His question had to do with the money being paid to Kane County rather than the City of St. Charles. Rickert explained the money was paid to the county rather than the City because the development was a county subdivision. After further review of the material provided today, Barrett did not see any instrument that would put the bridge in St. Charles. Committee member Hoscheit offered additional perspective and made a case for giving the City the money. He thought it logical that the county has been the holder of the fund since it is a county subdivision. He also thought this an interesting example of a Transportation Impact Fee in that it is an impact fee generated by a subdivision for the purpose of dealing with bridge needs. After noting the proximity of the Fox Mill Subdivision to the Red Gate Corridor, Hoscheit recounted in detail how, in 1992, St. Charles (faced with the closing of the Main Street Bridge by IDOT for reconstruction) came to the county’s Transportation Committee and identified the need for bridges. The county took the position that it was not only a regional issue but also a local one and called for the City to participate in solving the problem. They wanted the City to build a local bridge to show their commitment and subsequently item #3 was added to Res. 92-165. The City of St. Charles did go forward with that commitment and did restructure their budget to fund what is now known as the Prairie Street bridge. According to Hoscheit, the county then went ahead with its commitment to a regional bridge at Stearns Road (as indications have been it is the corridor that will get the most federal funding) and a subregional bridge between IL31 and IL25. As the federal process went forward another County Board resolution supported the need for two bridges (Red Gate and Stearns Road) and to Hoscheit’s recollection that passed with an overwhelming majority. After that vote, the question became which bridge would get built first. Per Hoscheit, the then Chairman indicated the first bridge to get built would be the one where the county gets help from the local municipality because funding was such an issue. Taking that lead, Hoscheit said St. Charles went ahead and acquired the right of way for the location. Since then, a new high school has been built at the Red Gate/IL31 intersection. Additionally, the State of Illinois has made a commitment to the crossing at Red Gate via Illinois First money for intersection improvements at Red Gate and IL31 and Red Gate and IL25 if the bridge is built. Hoscheit reiterated that the City’s request for the money is based on their wanting to begin the engineering process to see if state and/or federal funding is available. He urged committee’s support. The majority of members supported the request. Walter underscored that he wants nothing to stand in the way of the Stearns Road Bridge Corridor but has always understood that was the intent of the fee associated with this subdivision. He also understands there is a recognized need for additional bridges in the center of the county. Neuberger reasoned the request is for engineering funds and if the project is at the engineering phase, then it is an appropriate use of the money. Kudlick lent his support after determining that traffic figures on Main Street per day average in the mid-40Ks and grid-lock in that area continues. Barrett had no problem with a bridge in central Kane County but saw it as a matter of where the money is applied. To him, the language is clear that the money went to the county for the county to use for a bridge. It is also clear to him that it was never intended for St. Charles -- that it is plainly a county fund and to move it from the county would be extracting money meant for the Stearns Bridge. He argued that if the county is going to expand its participation in local bridges, then it should be done uniformly across the county. Other members saw Red Gate as a subregional bridge rather than local and viewed the request as completion of a process begun eleven years ago. Chairman Wyatt reasoned it depends on how one views the spirit of what happened in 1992 and how that relates to the needs of today. Walter suggested, for bookkeeping purposes, it might be simpler to draw on the funds as they are needed rather than transferring the full amount. Barrett was very reluctant to start what he said would be changing the definition of a local bridge vs. a subregional one. This led to a brief debate on the term regional vs. local. Hoscheit said the term was created in the federal process and in the federal government’s mind a regional bridge is one that not only crosses the river but has 4-lane roads that extend well beyond the river to accommodate regional traffic. He stated Red Gate is called a local bridge because it is not a 4-lane road bridge with regional connectors. He also thought it misleading to say the bridge will only serve St. Charles since the Federal Highway experts say that if this bridge is constructed, the primary users will be in a five to seven mile radius. That includes St. Charles and significant portions of the Village of South Elgin. On the east side, it includes the Village of Bartlett and the Village of Wayne (on record as opposing a bridge at Red Gate). Hoscheit stated the reality of the situation is such that if the bridge is built all the communities will use it. Transportation Committee - 4 - August 22, 2003

Mayor Klinkhamer didn’t yet have a figure on the cost of the Phase I study. She communicated that the City would be agreeable to the county just putting the money in the fund toward the Phase I Engineering rather than transferring it. It’s likely the engineering costs will exceed the fund balance anyway but the dollars would be used to supplement that cost. The Mayor elaborated on the developer’s intent when he built the Fox Mill Subdivision and agreed to contribute the per lot fee. She said there was concern from him not only for the City but also for the St. Charles School District and the motorists in Campton Township. Mayor Klinkhamer felt certain that if the developer were present today, he would be very clear on where he wanted the money to go. Chairman Wyatt said the county is very aware that any bridge is going to affect traffic elsewhere and is trying to get as many bridges built as is possible. He applauded the City of St. Charles for taking the lead and trying to develop a program for bridges. The mayor said the City is willing to do it on their own but noted this money has been sitting unused for many years and the City desires to make use of it. Wyatt extended an invitation to the City, regardless of the outcome of today’s request, to call upon the county’s staff for help and to take advantage of their experiences and knowledge with bridge building. In terms of statistics, Rickert said traffic projections for the Red Gate Bridge is about 21,000 vehicles a day. About 12,000 of those will be from unincorporated areas and the remaining 9,000 will come off IL64. He believes that refutes any claim that the bulk of traffic will be from the City of St. Charles as more than two-thirds of the trips will be from unincorporated areas. Board member Allan questioned the decision to put a bridge corridor through a Forest Preserve at Red Gate rather than further south at Crane and was told it essentially came down to which corridor had more positives. Hoscheit said going through the Crane/Country Club corridor would mean going through the Norris Nature Preserve which is federally protected. When the Forest Preserve property on the west side of the river was acquired, he said it was done so at a time when it was understood that a bridge would go through there. Another issue that was very significant at that time was the Board’s reluctance to use condemnation powers to move residences. Red Gate was the only corridor that did not displace permanent residences. Eileen Phipps, Pres. of the Village of Wayne, addressed the Village’s position on a bridge at Red Gate. She also was at the 1992 meeting and recollected the Transportation Committee would agree to work with the City of St. Charles as far as studying bridges north of the City -- not to construct them. She also reminded committee that during the federal process when all the bridge studies were going on, Red Gate was dropped from consideration because it did not meet purpose and need. She went on to question where the vehicles will go once they come onto IL25 from IL31 after crossing the bridge and if the bridge will merely recreate another traffic jam. She noted that all the streets in that area are residential. Among them Army Trail Road which is under Wayne’s jurisdiction. There is also the Woods of Fox Glen Subdivision and Country Club Road to the south. Phipps pointed out that these are 2-lane, residential, rural roads (for the most part) and are not designed to carry the traffic that will be generated by the bridge. Furthermore, Stearns Road is roughly a mile and a half from Red Gate. She urged committee to keep these things in mind as they make their decision. Phipps stated there were two offers from the Village of Wayne to the City of St. Charles to compromise on a local bridge. Both times, she said, those compromises were agreed to and the two entities were to work together on Crane/Country Club Road. Both times, she said the City backed out. From the beginning, Phipps said the Village has supported the Stearns Road Corridor as the most effective site for a regional bridge in this area. She acknowledged that at one time there was a northern extension at Red Gate but claimed that was momentary and was not supported by the entire County Board. From 1993 on, the Village has worked continuously for and supported the Stearns Road Corridor. She also emphasized that the County Board’s obligation is to the entire county and not to special, specific projects. In her view, the Red Gate Bridge is without a doubt a special, specific project. And, unless the Board is prepared to fund a bridge for all the river towns and perhaps even projects for the Kane County portion of the Village of Wayne, she stated it is very important that they support the Stearns Road Bridge Corridor as that is the bridge that survived the entire federal process. Phipps stated it is something that can and should be built as it will benefit the entire region. Hoscheit moved to approve the request from the City of St. Charles that the county allocate to them the impact fees from the Fox Mill Subdivision for the purposes of reimbursing the City for engineering costs in connection with the Red Gate Bridge. Seconded by Walter. In Barrett’s opinion, the above motion supports his theory that the county is expanding its involvement with local bridges to include engineering. Given that, he reiterated his earlier claim that the standard should be to include all local bridges and do that uniformly throughout the system. Wyatt did not disagree but viewed today’s request as the culmination of the foresight in 1992. He would like to see that same foresight for other bridges; that is, putting money aside through developer contributions. Hoscheit stated he would be willing to support a similar scenario elsewhere in the county if the need is demonstrated. Kudlicki suggested including bridges in the impact fee uses. Motion carried on a vote of 5 to 2 with Barrett and Hurlbut voting NAY.

2030 Transportation Plan (Heidi Files) - Staff is in the preliminary stages of updating its long-range Transportation Plan and have been working with the consultant to consolidate studies and create a base plan. Data sources include municipal comprehensive plans; Metra, PACE and RTA studies; county sponsored plans and studies; and NIPC’s Transportation Committee - 5 - August 22, 2003

2030 socio-economic forecasts. A public meeting has been scheduled at the Government Center in the County Board Room on Wednesday, September 17, 2003, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to invite comment on the Plan’s draft goals and strategies. A newsletter containing this and other information is available on the county’s web site. Additionally, staff has created a broad mailing list in an effort to involve as many groups and agencies as possible. Ms. Files went on to review the goals and strategies of the Plan and its Mission Statement: To provide and maintain a safe and efficient transportation system while sustaining the county’s vision and values. According to the timeline, the final draft will be ready for review in March 2004 with adoption of the Plan to follow in the spring/summer. (Hoscheit left the meeting.) Wolfe wanted to know if CATS has released their 2030 Plan and if so, has that been incorporated into the Kane County 2030 Plan. Files expects the CATS 2030 Plan will be released this fall. Their baseline has been incorporated into the county’s Plan. Staff reported a good response to the county’s web site. Transportation Planning Area Studies (Heidi Files) - Now that the County Board has adopted the West Upper Fox Planning Area Transportation Improvement Study, information packages have gone out to the affected communities and townships. The packages contain copies of the Plan and an Executive Summary, a copy of the County Board Resolution, and a sample resolution the communities may wish to use in their adoption process. To date, the villages of Algonquin and Gilberts and Rutland Township have adopted the Plan and staff has made presentations to West Dundee and Carpentersville. West Dundee wants the IL72 improvements to be a priority over the other improvements in the plan. The planning group for Sugar Grove, Aurora and Montgomery (SAM) will meet in October to continue that study. A kick-off meeting for the Northwest Planning Area will be held at Del Webb’s Sun City on Friday, September 5 at 9 a.m. The Northwest Area includes the villages of Hampshire, Burlington, Gilberts and Huntley. Impact Fees (Heather Tabbert) - Staff is working to complete the Comprehensive Road Improvement Plan (CRIP) that will include projections of all costs related to road improvements that are designated in the CRIP. Information on the types of improvements, funding and priority will also be included. Tentative meetings of the Impact Fee Advisory Committee are scheduled for Wednesday, September 3, 10, and 17 to discuss the draft document. The Sept. 3 meeting will be held in the lower level auditorium at the Government Center beginning at 8 a.m.; the Sept. 10 meeting will be in the Development Dept.’s conference room at the Government Center beginning at 8:30 a.m.; the Sept. 17 meeting will again be in the auditorium beginning at 8:30 a.m. A public hearing is slated for October 28 at 7 p.m. in the County Board Room. Another tentative meeting for the Advisory Committee is scheduled for November 19 to take final action on the Comprehensive Road Improvement Impact Fees. The document is scheduled to go to the Kane County Board for adoption in January 2004. Committee was asked to approve a resolution establishing the date for the public hearing. Motion by Kudlicki, second by Neuberger, to approve 7 p.m., October 28, 2003, as the date for a public hearing on the Comprehensive Road Improvement Plan associated with the imposition of Impact Fees; hearing to be held in the lower level auditorium at the Government Center. Motion carried unanimously. Committee was provided with the schedule of meetings for the Road Impact Fees Project.

Huntley Road - Randall to IL31 Huntley Road IGA - West Dundee & Carpentersville (Dave Bush) - Staff asked for approval of an intergovernmental agreement they are proposing with the villages of Carpentersville and West Dundee relative to a Phase I engineering study to examine the feasibility of widening Huntley Road from Randall to IL31. Huntley is currently a 2-lane road but is also a major arterial for both villages and is quickly approaching warrants that would justify a 3-lane or 4-lane configuration. Bush discussed how Huntley Road has been experiencing high traffic volumes because of new development and thus the interest in widening it to a 4-lane. The cost of the Phase I study is estimated at $372,000. The agreement calls for the project to be cost-shared by all three parties based on the percentage of roadway each owns. Kane County has jurisdiction over approx. one mile of the two mile road and would pay 50% or $186,000. The remaining one mile would be split by the villages with each contributing 25% of the cost or $93,000 each. Funding for Phase II and Phase III have not yet been identified. Huntley Road from Randall to IL31 (Dave Bush) - Burns and McDonnell is the recommended consulting firm. A copy of their proposal was submitted. Discussion disclosed that traffic counts at Randall Road are 15,000 per day. At IL31, they are 10,000-15,000 vehicles per day. Motion by Barrett to approve a Phase I Engineering Study for Huntley Road with costs to be shared with the Village of Carpentersville and the Village of West Dundee as presented; further, that Burns & McDonnell of Oak Brook, IL be approved as the consulting firm for the project at a cost of $372,000. Seconded by Neuberger and carried unanimously.

Fabyan & Bliss Agreement - Batavia Park District A recent study recommends connecting Bliss and Fabyan Roads. Bush discussed the most favorable alignment which would be through a 35-acre parcel owned by the Kane County Forest Preserve. However, additional right of way is needed off of Main Street to accomplish the connection. An earlier agreement with the Forest Preserve has left the county with a small triangle of land that is of little interest. As it happens, the Batavia Park District has expressed interest in acquiring 2.2 acres of that county owned land immediately adjacent to the existing right of way along Main Street. They would be willing to swap that for 3.9 acres owned by the Park District which Transportation Committee - 6 - August 22, 2003

the county needs for the new right of way. No money would be exchanged. Committee was asked to approve an agreement with the Batavia Park District for a land swap with provisions for storm detention on the triangle. The Batavia Park District would be trading 3.9 acres for county-owned 2.2 acres in the triangle. An additional easement of 1.6 acres adjacent to the triangle would be used for stormwater detention. This combined area gives the required 3.8 acre area for stormwater detention. The county in turn will give a full access to the Park District for this area. Bush said a draft copy of the agreement has been sent to the Batavia Park District and they are expected to approve the terms pending legal review. Approval moved by Neuberger, seconded by Walter. Motion carried unanimously.

Proposed FY2004 Budget Tom Rickert reviewed the proposed budget for 2004 which totals $77,069,803, a 9.2% reduction over last year. The primary reason for that is due to depletion of Cash on Hand. Funding sources were detailed; 75.4% of the budget’s funding is from reimbursements and fund balances. No portion of the Transportation Budget is funded through the General Fund. A brief explanation of how the funds are used followed: the County Highway Levy is used primarily for operations of the department; the Bridge Levy is used for bridge inspections and some maintenance; the Matching Levy is generally used for matching in acquisitions of salt, etc.; the Motor Fuel Tax Fund is used for operations in the departments Maintenance section and to pay back the bonds (more than $3 million of the $6.6 million in MFT funds is used to pay back bonds). The Matching Local Option MFT is used to pay for the county’s striping and resurfacing programs. There was a question on why the MFT appears to be going down. Rickert said basically because the forecast in 2003 was over estimated -- the department received less money than it thought it would. Staff has been more conservative in their estimates for 2004 so they don’t overspend. There is no increase in employee headcount in 2004. A list of the projects previously approved by the County Board with regard to the Construction Bond and Transportation Capital Fund monies was provided. A program summary of the entire budget was also handed out. (Hurlbut left the meeting.) Committee was asked to contact Rickert with questions following their review of the primary projects that staff will be working on next year. As the Bond Fund is a substantial four percent of the budget, Barrett advocated looking at the impact of borrowing any more money before taking that step again. Staff did not disagreed but, in terms of looking toward the future, they cautioned that KDOT’s Capital needs and revenue sources must be addressed at some upcoming point. Wolfe observed that a lot of the Bond money went toward land acquisitions and believes the steady increase in land values has created a problem with that. Nevertheless, Barrett maintained it would be prudent to examine the base cost of the department’s operations before taking on any more projects. Committee debated the best way to use the money the department has. Barrett contended it is not the county’s job to take on all the projects in the county. He believes the essential services and the obligation over time is to maintain the system; other components should either be abandoned or transferred to get the costs down. The idea of building regional highways is, in his mind, probably more a question of whether those are a federal issue and, if so, should the county tax dollars be going into that pot. Wolfe took a different position, stating the county has to answer to the people and to save money by not paving roads is not the answer. The chair agreed the current system has to be maintained but stated the county would not be doing its job if it did not look to the future. Dir. Rogowski directed attention to the funding from outside sources and reminded committee that money will be lost if the proposed projects are not done. The possibility of a gas tax increase to help pay for transportation needs was revisited. There was much interest in the announcement that Lake County is looking at a quarter cent sales tax revenue that will generate approx. $16 million a year for them in added revenue which they can use to pay for their transportation needs. A law allowing such use was signed in the last month or so. The question will likely go to Lake County residents in April of 2004. Barrett was interested in seeing the supporting documentation on that revenue and staff offered to provide that next month. Brief discussion followed on the statutory requirements. Rogowski said it does require the posting of a 10 year, possibly a 20 year plan, so people can see how the money would be used. It also thinks the tax can be increased in quarter cent increments by referendum. Chairman Wyatt believes a gas tax increase might be a viable option for Kane County and wants to look into it further. He asked that it be placed on next month’s agenda. Walter wanted to know if the above would be in addition to a 2¢ gas tax hike discussed in previous meetings. Wyatt clarified they are separate issues. He thinks the 2¢ gas tax would bring in about $3.5 million compared to $16 million for a quarter cent sales tax increase. Wolfe was steadfast in his contention that the money from a gas tax increase is unlikely to go toward road improvements -- that it’s more likely to go into corporate pockets. While the chair did not disagree, he felt there is another side to the issue. There was no action on Barrett’s suggestion that a subcommittee or working committee be formed to look at the tax issue to forestall what could be a lengthy discussion at next month’s meeting. At that time, staff will provide documentation on the taxing statute. Discussion moved to the Bond Fund and Rickert’s offer to revisit the bond list over the next two months and look at it in greater focus. When the list was established, it was basically with the idea that it would be a 10 year project. Barrett insisted the list was created, not for the purpose of targeting projects, but to easily identify the bulk of the projects in need of money. He maintained the list was always meant to be adaptable and was not definitive. No action taken. Transportation Committee - 7 - August 22, 2003

Permit Regulations Committee was informed some changes and additions are proposed for the draft Permit Regulations approved by the Board in January 2003 and implemented in February. Adoption of the final version is slated for January 2004. The changes and additions will be highlighted in the final version for informational purposes.

Request for Access Randall Road: St. Charles (X Sport Fitness) - The City of St. Charles is requesting an access to serve a proposed fitness center on the east side of Randall Road, approx. 800 feet north of the intersection with IL 64 (Main Street). However, Rickert stated staff has been working with the developer and the City on an overall access plan and whether some of the existing access points can be closed in the future if a frontage road is constructed. Many of them were established prior to the County Board adopting its current limited access position. KDOT is pursuing intersection improvements for 2005 including dual left turn lanes for Randall Road and a landscape median that will extend 900 feet north of the intersection. If improvements go as planned, a signalized full access would be installed 1200 feet north of IL64 (near the northern property line of the former Euclid Beverage site) at a quarter mile spacing halfway between Dean Street and IL64. In the meantime, X Sport Fitness will have a temporary unsignalized full access to their proposed site. This temporary access would be converted to a right in/right out at the time of the permanent improvements. Rickert stated over the next several months all parties have agreed to work toward a frontage road system along the east side of Randall that would connect the fitness center to the proposed signalized full access The attempt is to pull everything south of the railroad tracks to one primary access point utilizing a 3-phase process. Once that connection is achieved the fitness center’s temporary access would be converted to a right-in/right-out only access that would pose no safety concerns. A frontage road is also planned for the west side of Randall. Committee’s approval of the above plan was requested. Walter asked if the setback on Randall will be wide enough to accommodate the future widening of Randall Road to six lanes and was told yes. He also verified that the design intent of future development on the west side of Randall will be for a frontage road. At a minimum, Rickert said there will be cross access but reiterated that staff is working with the City of St. Charles on a frontage road that would tie-in with the proposed full access. Barrett questioned the advisability of a landscape median since it doesn’t improve traffic and asked who is paying for that. Rickert said the county is paying but explained there is very little difference in terms of cost, with or without a median. He reminded committee that at the time of the Orchard Road improvements the Transportation Committee instructed staff to continue to incur this cost in future improvements since it is such a small cost. The maintenance of the median is incurred by the municipality. Staff said the county’s improvements will have to be done prior to the full access but the question of when depends on federal funding. Current planning targets 2005. Motion by Neuberger to approve the access plan for the X Sport Fitness site and to direct staff to develop an access agreement with the City of St. Charles that will include the appropriate terms and conditions for the X Sport Fitness site in the context of surrounding properties. Seconded by Walter and carried unanimously.

Development Update: Algonquin - Staff presented an overview of the development activities along Randall Road in the Village of Algonquin. The focus was on the transportation impacts and anticipated roadway improvements. Staff also raised some possible policy concerns that committee may want to consider over the next couple of months. Essentially, there are two developments that are proceeding forward: on the west side of Randall consisting of 190 acres. Of that, 110 acres is proposed for commercial, 140 single family homes, 120 town homes and over a million square feet in leasable spaces. Approx. 1,305 new trips will result from the Galleria development. The other development is , similar to the . This will generate 2,170 new trips. This is one of the fastest growing areas to the west of Randall Road in Kane County and the traffic impact of these combined trips is extremely significant. Studies show that because of the spacing each intersection will need to have six through lanes in order to accommodate these trips. Each intersection including County Line Road will also need dual lefts and right turn lanes. Staff will begin coordinating with the Village of Algonquin but Rickert’s concern stems from this being the first segment of Randall Road that is looking at six lanes. (This is the first traffic study staff has received which calls for 6-lane roads as part of the recommended improvements.) He asked for direction on how to proceed with the permitting aspect. Staff can issue the permit now so that development can proceed or wait. Committee’s reaction was cautionary. Members felt strongly that the developers should meet the county’s needs rather than vice versa. At their request, Rickert pointed out the access points along the north end of Randall that have already been approved by the County Board. Grandview, which has a right-in/right-out, has not been approved. An access at Grandview has been brought to committee on several occasions and each time he said committee’s instructions were to keep it a right- in/right-out. Staff has informed Algonquin that frontage roads that offer cross access within the entire commercial areas will be needed and would typically be located within the parking areas. Rickert acknowledged the Village of Algonquin for the excellent job it has done in terms of planning for the access points. He then conveyed how there are millions of dollars of improvements that should be done on the upper stretch of Randall Road and said these are the developers responsibility and not the county’s. The improvements would actually start in McHenry County and proceed south to Binnie Road in Kane County. From Binnie Road north to County Line Road, Randall Road will need to be six lanes, however, there are gaps Transportation Committee - 8 - August 22, 2003

that will need to be discussed with various developers. Chairman Wyatt instructed staff to convey to the developers the committee’s interest in making sure that the improvements along Randall Road meet the county’s requirements. He acknowledged that, ultimately, the solution will be six lanes for all of Randall Road but cautioned that is a long way off. Wolfe and Barrett were clear that they want to see the frontage roads put in now. They were also clear that they will not support any more cuts on Randall Road.

EXECUTIVE SESSION - None.

Meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m. on motion by Neuberger, seconded by Wolfe.

Jean Weems Recording Secretary