Community Assets
Waterways led the first settlers to Lake County. In the
early 1800s, communities began sprouting along the
Des Plaines River and natural harbors along Lake
Michigan. By the end of the century, railroad lines had
replaced waterways as spurs to development. Today,
Lake County seeks a balance between natural areas,
agriculture, industry, older cities and newer suburbs; it
is now home to 644,356 inhabitants, an increase of
25% over the 1990 population.
For more than a decade, Lake County has been
engaged in a spirited debate about the environmental
impacts of development. In 2000, Lake County
residents passed a ballot initiative authorizing the
Forest Preserve District to spend $70 million on open
space and natural area preservation and improvements.
The new Independence Grove Preserve recently
opened and completion of the Des Plaines River Trail
is in sight. There are three state parks in Lake County:
Volo Bog, Illinois Beach and Chain O'Lakes.
Lake County's employment and population growth
represent an economic asset as well as a challenge to
natural areas. New residential developments continue
to sprout on undeveloped land in central and western
Lake County. The Lake-Cook Road Corridor is home
to corporate headquarters like Baxter Healthcare and
the Walgreens Company as well as regional offices of
many others. Lake County has become a retail draw
with Hawthorn Center in Vernon Hills and Gurnee
Mills outlet shopping center in the community of
Gurnee.
Who We Are
We came from across Lake County but primarily from
its Central and North Central sections. Some of us
were from older cities that developed along the rail
lines, like Highland Park, Zion and Mundelein.
Others
came from newly developing areas like Prairie
Crossing. Most of us are active in other groups that
seek to improve the quality of life in Lake County, like
the League of Women Voters or the Sierra Club. We
represented senior citizen groups, faith-based
organizations, transit riders, disability activists and
official organizations like the County Planning
Department, the Soil and Water District and the office
of a State Representative. We strongly believe that
the public should be involved in decisions about land
use and transportation in our communities.
We are concerned about the health of our physical
environment. Air and water quality are important
issues that we feel should be considered when making
decisions about transportation investments and where
growth is going to occur. We are also concerned about
traffic congestion, the ability to use multiple travel
modes to get around, efficient connections between
modes, access to the transportation system by seniors
and the disabled, and job access for Lake County
residents and non-residents alike.
Connecting
Communities
Lake County
July 24, 2001
How We Get Around
We reach most of our destinations by car, driving
alone. Our second and third most-used modes are "by
car, with others," and on foot. Transit and biking are
less realistic options for many of our trips. With the
automobile at present being the only reasonable way
to reach most destinations in Lake County, we have on
average just more than two cars per household, a rate
of about one car per person. We are trapped between
our desire to protect air quality, water quality and
natural habitats and the reality that we cannot get
around without relying heavily on cars. About half of
us do walk to perform errands in our own
communities each week.
More than half of us indicate the presence of transit
service near our homes, more often rail than bus, but
only one-tenth of us enjoy service that is more
frequent than once an hour. As a reflection of our
expressed support for better transit, 54% of us used
transit in the last month. Four of those present
represented households with children. Of those
children, all ride the bus to school, though half
sometimes walk or are driven.
Challenges and Solutions
Environment impacted
Steady employment and population growth have led to
stifling traffic congestion, which has negative
consequences for our natural environment. The
pattern of development that has occurred in Lake
County has resulted in over-dependence on the
automobile for many trips. Increased air and water
pollution have been the result. Rapid commercial and
residential development has devoured acres of open
space and natural animal habitat.
The region's transportation network has not kept pace
with the demands of more people traveling within and
to the county from other parts of the region. Much of
our highway and transit network was designed for
trips between the County and Chicago. Travel to
Chicago still constitutes a significant share of daily
trips, but many Lake County residents are traveling to
destinations in the County and the Chicago region that
are inaccessible except by car. The east-west access
roads to the Tri-State are overwhelmed with traffic,
and back-ups sometimes extend for miles. East-west
transit service is almost non-existent, providing little
alternative but to drive for most intra-county trips.
Public transit investments key
If we had more travel options we could use our cars
less. More transit service should be available for
east-west trips. East-west roads like Grand Ave., IL
176, IL 22/Half Day Rd. and IL 60 need transit bus
service scheduled at times when people will use it, to
reach employment, shopping and to connect with
Metra rail service. Retail employees are often not
served by buses which are geared to the departure of
the last shopper. The most congested of these roads
should have dedicated bus/bike lanes to allow users
of these more environmentally friendly modes to
speed past auto traffic. The College of Lake County
on the outskirts of Grayslake needs additional bus
service to the Fox Lake and Grayslake Metra
stations. The successful network of shuttle bus
service connecting nearby office complexes with the
Lake-Cook Road Metra station should be a model for
other areas.
We could also use the transit assets we have more
effectively. Better connections to job sites in the
county are essential. Coordinating the schedules and
fares of the existing transit systems would help us
use transit more often. Better dissemination of
transit schedule information and better signage
would encourage more use. Metra service should be
expanded on the North Central line, added on the
EJ&E line and extended to Gurnee and Wadsworth
along a freight rail line branching from the Metra
Milwaukee North Line. New stations and additional
short- and long-term parking at stations would also
increase the number of transit riders.
Existing services need to be made handicapped
accessible to accommodate the needs of seniors and
the disabled. Service times and routes need to be
expanded to improve the universe of options
available to this growing segment of our population.
The pedestrian and cycling environment
Many trips that are now completed by car could be
diverted to walking or cycling if the appropriate
infrastructure was in place. Sidewalks are too few
and where they exist are not connected to any larger
network. Sidewalks are especially important around
schools and where lacking, should be installed.
For more individuals to choose the bicycle for short
trips, the cycling environment must be made safer.
Priority should be given to constructing more bike
lanes and paths and improving intersections to make
them safe for cyclists and pedestrians. We have a
growing network of regional trails, but more needs to
be done. Among the routes that need to see paths
and lanes for cyclists are Milwaukee Avenue, Lake-
Cook Road, IL 137, IL 83, St. Mary's Road and
Everett Road. There should also be a bike lane
parallel to the Metra North Central line.
Connections, where missing, need to be constructed
between existing trails. Trails should be established
between downtown Waukegan and North Chicago to
the Lakefront Trail heading north from Lake Bluff.
A full complement of bike connections needs to be
built connecting communities with
their Metra stations.
Congestion relief, other ideas
Lake County's healthy growth rate
has led to increased traffic congestion.
Traffic back-ups on the county's road
network decrease efficiency and
lessen safety for non-auto users of the
system. The sprawl of new residential
and commercial development has led
to over-dependence on the automobile
for even the shortest trips.
Roads are a necessary component of
our transportation system. We
suggest targeted projects to relieve
bottlenecks. The intersection of IL 176 and Rte 60 is
one example. Many of the east-west roads
connecting central and western Lake County with the
Tri-State tollway and US 41 are congested and need
to be widened. We had many additional ideas to
lessen traffic congestion in Lake County. Economic
incentives should go to those who choose to live near
and use public transit. Employers should adopt
flextime to stagger the impact of rush hours. Traffic
lights need to be synchronized and high-occupancy
vehicle lanes built to encourage carpooling.
Travelers should be able to use the Internet to get
"real-time" congestion information. Underused
parking lots, like those at Lakehurst and Hawthorn
Center, should be used as shuttle centers. Transit
providers should be sure to schedule services to
coincide with major events in Chicago and look at
smaller buses to reduce costs and lessen community
impact. Where suitable, bridle paths should be
constructed.
To improve travel outside the region, an Amtrak
station should be constructed at Milwaukee's
Mitchell Airport. High-speed rail service should be
developed to serve it and the entire Midwest.
Waukegan's port facility should be the base for ferry
service to Chicago, Michigan and Wisconsin points.
Additional rail service between the Metra UP-North
Line and the North Central line and a revival of
service along former North Shore Line interurban
routes would provide yet further travel options for
the region. On a larger scale, the motor fuel tax
should be raised to encourage more transit use.
Our Vision
We, the residents of Lake County feel that ensuring
the environmental health of our communities is
paramount. This goal is best achieved by preserving
open space. This can best be done by encouraging
development in existing communities, rebuilding
existing infrastructure and providing well-coordi-
nated, accessible transit as an alternative to auto use.
Our vision for Lake County will be achieved through
public involvement in planning and through tax
incentives that encourage smarter development. Our
existing infrastructure should be maintained and non-
auto alternatives for local trips must be provided.
Any new transportation investments should not
unduly burden any one community. Their benefits
should be shared as we build vibrant, mixed-use
communities that are walkable, bikable, easily
accessible by transit and have the range of services
the community needs. This is the Lake County we
want to leave for our children and our neighbors'
children.
Our Top Five Priorities Carry Equal Weight
Walkable
neighborhoods
Public
involvement in
planning
Air and water
quality
Open
space/agricultural
preservation
Transit stations
are economic
asset
The Citizen Transportation Plan is a project of the Chicagoland Transportation and Air
Quality Commission, part of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2125 W. North Ave.,
Chicago, IL 60647, 773-278-4800, ext. 2030. Visit us on the web at www.cnt.org/2030.
Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization
Interreligious Sustainability Project
League of Women Voters of Illinois
Metro Seniors in Action
Metropolitan Planning Council
Mid America Institute on Poverty
Sierra Club
Sustain
The Lake County Connecting Communities summit participants came as individuals and as members of
groups. The people who helped plan the summit came from the following groups:
Citizens Organized for Sound Transportation
Lake County Conservation Alliance
Woods & Wetlands Group-Sierra Club
Lake County League of Women Voters
Connecting Communities Regional Partners
Recommendations
Maintain existing communities in order to preserve open space.
Develop intergovernmental agreements to support planning
efforts in communities. Invest public dollars in the communities where people already live. Use a combination of fiscal
incentives and disincentives to steer new housing, retail and commercial development to sites near transit stations, especially in
communities' downtowns. Recognize that development patterns geared solely to access by car will lead to more congestion,
which reduces air and water quality and leads to habitat degradation. Continue to expand the forest preserve district and protect
farmland and other open spaces to ensure adequate migratory corridors for wildlife.
Establish a grid network of accessible transit bus service throughout the developed parts of the county.
Increase hours and
days of service; make all transportation 100% accessible. Regular bus service should be operated on all major east-west and
north-south highways. Bus service should be scheduled to connect with other routes and existing and proposed Metra service.
Install signal preemption technology to enhance bus efficiency. Expand scheduled, accessible bus service to College of Lake
County, especially connections from nearby Metra stations. Combine school bus service with public transportation as in the
Waukegan model.
Expand rail service.
Improve coordination with other modes. Increase the frequency of service on the Metra North Central line,
converting it to a "full-service" route with reverse-commute, evening and weekend service. Allow more long-term parking in
existing and expanded lots at outlying stations to facilitate use of the line to access O'Hare Airport. Establish service along the
existing Canadian Pacific Rail/Amtrak line as a branch of the Metra Milwaukee North line to Gurnee and Wadsworth and along
the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern to improve access to Northwest Cook and DuPage County. Explore advanced techologies like
monorail, magnetic levitation trains and high speed rail.
Create communities where walking is a pleasant option for completion of trips, continue to expand the region's multi-use
trail network and create a network of safe bike/bus lanes on the region's east-west and north-south roads.
Require the
construction of sidewalks in all new residential and commercial developments. Connect new and existing sidewalks to form a
seamless network, including connections between residential neighborhoods, schools, retail districts and transit service. Improve
lighting for better security. Complete the Des Plaines River Trail. Construct a radial network of bike lanes and paths from Metra
stations to their surrounding communities. Allow bikes on trains and buses.
Make targeted improvements to existing road network to relieve traffic congestion.
Coordinate traffic signals. Explore user
fee alternatives to tolls. Add left turn lanes and additional lanes approaching major traffic bottlenecks. Add additional traffic
lanes to Milwaukee Ave., Buckley Rd., IL 22, IL 176 and the Tri-State Tollway. Build an overpass where the Metra North
Central line crosses IL 60. Blend road improvements into the surrounding environment with appropriate landscaping.
Construction projects should be scheduled outside of primary travel periods and users should be charged for the cost of road
construction, maintenance and other negative impacts resulting from auto use.
Business and Professional People for the Public Interest
Chicago Design Consortium
Chicago Metropolis 2020
Chicago Rehab Network
Chicagoland Bicycle Federation
Citizen Action-Illinois
Council for Disability Rights
Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest
Friends of the Chicago River