The proposed expansion of the corner of 75th Street and Washington is likely a hot topic tonight at Naperville’s City Council meeting. I was unable to attend because of a prior commitment, but the problem is symptomatic of poor transportation planning in DuPage County, and many other areas in the United States. The expansion would add two turn lanes and an additional through lane on the intersection of two four-lane roads, attempting to ease traffic congestion. A lot of people in the neighboring Maplebrook subdivision are upset about the corner expansion, and they should be. They came to Naperville because it offered the atmosphere of a town with the amenities of a city near Chicago. Now residents will suffer from the added traffic, noise and pollution that will result from the project.
Joanne Martino of the Maplebrook I Homeowners Association board is rightly horrified that the intersection “will be wider than Interstate 88.” James Dragoo, president of the Maplebrook II Homeowners Association points out that beyond the two years of construction involved, “with expansion comes more traffic.” Some of the homeowners, like Mary Anne McManus, who lives west of Washington Street, and Ms. Martino hope the city will build a sound barrier wall, not because they think it is a good solution, but because they believe they may not be able to stop the project. Not only are residents losing the quality of life that brought them to Naperville, but also their property values may suffer during and perhaps after the construction.
Local residents will feel the immediate impact because traffic in the area is already too congested, and two years of road construction will make that worse. City and county taxpayers will also suffer. The 75th Street and Washington expansion will cost about $15 million with some of the money likely coming from the county and/or state. Putting numbers to Mr. Dragoo’s point that building roads just keeps attracting more traffic, city estimates predict that the 65,000 motor vehicles that pass the intersection daily will increase by 16% over the next 20 years. It’s a bad problem that’s only getting worse.
What went wrong?
Naperville and DuPage County suffer from reactive instead of pro-active leadership in transportation. All but 6% of DuPage County land is developed, and land prices are high and getting higher, but government officials are still trying to build their way out of motor vehicle traffic congestion with roads. To their credit, a couple of months ago the DuPage County Board announced its “Healthy Roads Initiative” that would provide sidewalks or bicycle paths where possible for new construction. It is a great idea. It would have been a better idea a decade or more ago, before congestion increased to its current level. It would be a better idea today if it involved putting more construction dollars into an efficient, accessible and reliable mass transit system in the city and county, such as substantially expanding the Pace bus service. That would reduce the number of cars on the road. It would be a better idea today if significant road construction dollars were put into building sidewalks and bicycle paths on existing roads that aren’t otherwise part of new construction. That would also take some cars off the roads.
It is not about spending more money; the money spent on roads could buy transportation solutions for the people of DuPage today. We are in the second year of a ten-year, $224 million road construction plan that DuPage taxpayers fund through bonds and fuel taxes. Where are the comparable funds for Pace busing of seniors, who now make up about 10% of DuPage County’s population, and are likely to increase in numbers? The cities and towns in DuPage are largely funding their own senior transportation. Naperville and Lisle, to their credit, are creating an expanded busing system for seniors. But all the funds for this (in Naperville/Lisle an estimated $450,000 a year (with 17% paid by bus fares)), are a drop in the bucket. The program does not transport non-seniors at all. Where is the funding, comparable to road construction, for mass transit, bicycle paths and walking paths for everyone.
It is about quality of life. Public transportation, walking and bicycle riding will contribute to healthier, less stressful lives for DuPage residents going to work, running errands, shopping, or enjoying the great social and recreational opportunities that our county offers. For decades our DuPage government officials have planned transportation with their eyes firmly on the road. They are stuck in traffic and, because of poor planning, we are stuck too. New leadership and vision in transportation will move DuPage forward again.
[Additional online sources, no longer available online, include: The Daily Herald, 4/29/04: “No easy traffic solution at 75th and Washington” and “DuPage County updates growth management plan;” The Daily Herald, 10/9/02: “County plans roadwork for next decade;” and Naperville Sun, 3/12/04: “Park District hears Ride DuPage proposal”]
[Editor Note, link to Daily Herald article in first paragraph eliminated because no longer online]
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