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News & Events

September/October 2022
Project Update #20
Deerfield Road Phase I Study Completion

On June 24th, 2022, the Lake County Division of Transportation received formal approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation for completion of Phase I Engineering and Environmental Studies. The next phase of the project development process, including Phase II Engineering (contract plans and bid documents, permitting) and Land Acquisition have commenced.

Following the Public Hearing held on May 25th, 2021, the project team addressed comments received and prepared an Errata to the Environmental Assessment (EA) to document the Public Hearing results including public comments and responses. The FHWA reviewed the EA Errata and on June 22nd, 2022, the FHWA determined that the Deerfield Road project will not result in a significant impact on the human environmental and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI and EA Errata are posted on the project website at: www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com. For those that may have missed the Public Hearing, all materials, including a recording of the Public Hearing, the EA, Preferred Alternative design, Public Hearing Summary, and Frequently Asked Questions are available on the project website.

The EA is a document that provides the purpose and need, range of alternatives, identification of the preferred alternative, and environmental impacts, benefits, and mitigation measures. The preferred alternative improvement consists of reconstructing Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with additional lanes added at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection and 3-lane curbed roadway from the Des Plaines River to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with multi-use path and drainage improvements. Minor intersection improvements will be made at the Portwine Road (northbound and southbound left turn lane) and Saunders/Riverwoods Road (northbound right turn lane) intersections.

Phase II Engineering and Land Acquisition have commenced and will be ongoing through the remainder of 2022 and into 2023. As part of Phase II Engineering, the project team will continue to evaluate ways to minimize impacts to adjacent properties and environmental resources where feasible/practical, such as trees and wetlands. For properties that are affected by proposed land acquisition, formal coordination will be initiated with you later in 2022 or early 2023 by land acquisition specialists on our project team. Construction funding has been identified for the entire project and construction is anticipated to start in 2024, contingent upon project readiness. Further updates will be provided as Phase II Engineering and Land Acquisition progress, including continued close coordination with the Villages of Deerfield, Riverwoods, and Buffalo Grove.

Comments and questions are encouraged throughout the course of project development, and can be submitted through the project website at: www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact/.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Senior Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

May/June 2021
Project Update #19
Deerfield Road PUblic Hearing Scheduled

The Lake County Division of Transportation led Deerfield Road project is in its final stages of the Phase I Engineering Study. A Virtual Public Hearing has been scheduled for May 25th, 2021 to present and seek input on the final Deerfield Road project Environmental Assessment (EA) and Preferred Alternative. All public hearing materials, including the Environmental Assessment and Preferred Alternative design, will be available on the project website beginning May 10th.

To protect the health and safety of all participants, the public hearing will be held virtually on Tuesday, May 25, at 4 PM. Participants can register to attend by registering here (Deerfield Road Virtual Public Hearing) or visiting the project website (www.DeerfieldRoadCorridor.com). This live Virtual Public Hearing will consist of a formal project presentation (starting at 4 pm) followed by a public comment period allowing any attendee a 2-minute statement to a court reporter and then a Q&A session with the project team. A recording of the Virtual Public Hearing will be posted to the project website.

Comments are encouraged throughout the course of the study, however, comments received between May 10 and June 14, 2021, will be specifically added to the public hearing record. The project study team is specifically seeking input on the Preferred Alternative and the EA. The EA is also available for viewing on the project website or in-person at Village Hall. Comments can be submitted via email to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com or a comment form can be picked up at Riverwoods Village Hall and submitted to the project team.

The Deerfield Road Phase I Engineering Study is anticipated to conclude in Summer 2021. Phase II Engineering (i.e., Design Engineering) and Land Acquisition will be ongoing for the next several years with the construction anticipated to start in late 2023 or early 2024.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact/.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Senior Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

March/April 2021
Project Update #18
Deerfield Road Project Status Update

The Lake County Division of Transportation led Deerfield Road project is in its final stages of the Phase I Engineering Study, which culminates with a Public Hearing that is anticipated for spring 2021 to solicit comments on the final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Engineering Reports. The second round of state and federal comments were received in mid-December 2020 and were resubmitted in early February 2021. The EA is expected to be approved for public release in March/April 2021 with a Public Hearing targeted for May 2021. Once the EA is approved, the project team will finalize the plans for the formal release of the EA and the Public Hearing. The Phase I Engineering Study is anticipated to be completed in mid-2021.

The proposed improvement consists of reconstructing Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with additional lanes added at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection and 3-lane curbed roadway from the Des Plaines River to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with multi-use path and drainage improvements. Minor intersection improvements will be made at the Portwine Road (northbound and southbound left turn lane) and Saunders/Riverwoods Road (northbound right turn lane) intersections. The proposed improvement design exhibits are located on the project website at: https://deerfieldroadcorridor.com/info_center/meeting_materials.aspx.

Some important project developments include:

The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) report was initially submitted to IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review in December 2019, with comments received in June 2020; a second submittal was made in October 2020 (legal sufficiency review), and second round comments were received in December 2020. Resubmittal was made in early February 2021. The project team is anticipating signature by the FHWA in March/April 2021.
Once the EA is approved by the Federal Highway Administration, the EA will be released for public comment and the Public Hearing will be scheduled. Based on the best available information we have at this time, the Public Hearing is being targeted for May 2021. The EA will be available for public comment approximately 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks following the Public Hearing. The Public Hearing will have in-person and virtual options for participation.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact/ . The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime via e-mail directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Senior Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

January/February 2021
Project Update #17
Deerfield Road Project Status Update

The Lake County Division of Transportation led Deerfield Road project is in its final stages of the Phase I Engineering Study, which culminates with a Public Hearing that is anticipated for spring 2021 to solicit comments on the final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Engineering Reports. The second round of state and federal comments were received in mid-December 2020, and these comments are currently being addressed by the project team. The EA is expected to be approved for public release in February/March 2021. The Phase I Engineering Study is anticipated to be completed in Spring 2021.

Over the last month, there have been some comments and questions regarding to the proposed noise wall. As mentioned in previous project updates, a 15-foot tall noise wall, required by federal regulations, will be constructed along the south side of Deerfield Road from approximately Big Oak Lane to Saunders Road, and along the west side of Saunders Road from Deerfield Road to the Thorngate HOA Park.

Since this project is utilizing federal funding, a traffic noise analysis is required. This analysis must be performed following procedures mandated by federal and state regulations. These regulations require that a noise wall be included in the project design if it is determined that:

There is a noise impact;
A noise wall is feasible, meaning it would result in a perceptible traffic noise reduction for at least two impacted residents;
The noise wall meets reasonableness criteria with respect to the noise reduction design goal, cost effectiveness ($30,000 per benefited receptor), and is approved by the majority of the benefited residents (i.e., greater than 50% vote in favor of the noise wall)

The only eligible voters for inclusion of a noise wall are those that are benefited by the noise wall, meaning those properties that would experience a noise reduction of 5 decibels or more if the noise wall were to be constructed. The Village does not vote. Neither the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) nor Lake County have any discretion as to whether or not the noise wall is included in the project. Additionally, Village ordinances pertaining to walls are not applicable as the noise wall will be located in County right-of-way and mandated by Federal project development procedures.

Some important project developments include:

The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) report was initially submitted to IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration for review in December 2019, with comments received in June 2020; a second submittal was made in October 2020 (legal sufficiency review), and second round comments were received in December 2020. Resubmittal is anticipated for mid-January 2021.
Once the EA is approved by the Federal Highway Administration, the EA will be released for public comment and the Public Hearing will be scheduled.Â Based on the best available information we have at this time, the earliest the Public Hearing can be scheduled is March 2021. The EA will be available for public comment approximately 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks following the Public Hearing. The Public Hearing will have in-person and virtual options for participation.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Senior Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

November/December 2020 - Project Update #16
Deerfield Road Project Status Update

The Lake County Division of Transportation led Deerfield Road project is in its final stages of the Phase I Engineering Study, which culminates with a Public Hearing that is anticipated for early 2021 (February/March) to solicit comments on the final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Engineering Reports. The EA experienced some delays but is currently in its second round of reviews, and is expected to be approved for public release in January 2021. The Phase I Engineering Study is anticipated to be completed in Spring 2021.

The proposed improvement consists of reconstructing Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with additional lanes being added at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection and 3-lane curbed roadway from the river to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with multi-use path and drainage improvements. Minor intersection improvements will be made at the Portwine Road (northbound and southbound left turn lane) and Saunders/Riverwoods Road (northbound right turn lane) intersections. The proposed improvement design exhibits are located on the project website at: https://deerfieldroadcorridor.com/info_center/meeting_materials.aspx.

Some important project developments include:

The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) report was submitted to IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review in December 2019.Â Comments were received back in June 2020 and resubmittal was made in October 2020 for additional reviews.
Once the EA is signed by FHWA, the EA will be released for public comment and the Public Hearing will be scheduled.Â Based on the best available information we have at this time, the earliest the Public Hearing will be scheduled is February 2021. The Environmental Assessment will be released for public comment approximately 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks following the Public Hearing. The Public Hearing will have in person and virtual options for participation.
In addition to the Environmental Assessment for the project an Engineering Design Report is being prepared. The project team is continuing to complete the various technical and design components to complete Phase I Engineering. Some of these items include drainage design plans, roadway design plans, footprint assessment & land acquisition refinements, Des Plaines River bridge design & hydraulic report, Thorngate Creek hydraulic report, Intersection Design Studies (Milwaukee Avenue, Portwine Road & Saunders/Riverwoods Road), and maintenance of traffic during construction.
A 15-foot tall noise wall was voted into the project by 37 benefitted Thonrgate residents and is located along the south side of Deerfield Road from approximately Big Oak Lane to Saunders Road, and along the west side of Saunders Road from Deerfield Road to Thorngate HOA Park. The final Traffic Noise Report has been approved by IDOT and is posted on the project website along with a summary of the traffic noise meeting.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact. The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime via e-mail directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

September/October 2020 - Project Update #15
Deerfield Road Project Status Update

The Lake County Division of Transportation led Deerfield Road project is in its final stages of the Phase I Engineering Study, which culminates with a public hearing that is anticipated for Fall 2020 to solicit comments on the final Environmental Assessment and Engineering Reports. The project has experienced some delays with various environmental reviews of the project which are anticipated to be completed in the coming months. The Phase I Engineering Study is anticipated to be completed in early 2020.

Some important project developments include:

The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) report was submitted to IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review in December 2019. Comments were received back in June 2020. The project team is waiting for the cultural (historic building) clearance for the project, which is anticipated to be obtained in early September. The EA will then be resubmitted for further review.
Once the EA is signed by FHWA, the EA will be released for public comment and the Public Hearing will be scheduled. Based on the best available information we have at this time, the earliest the Public Hearing will be scheduled is October 2020. The Environmental Assessment will be released for public comment approximately 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks following the Public Hearing.
In addition to the Environmental Assessment for the project an Engineering Design Report is being prepared. The project team is continuing to complete the various technical and design components to complete Phase I Engineering. Some of these items include drainage design plans, roadway design plans, footprint assessment & land acquisition refinements, Des Plaines River bridge design & hydraulic report, Thorngate Creek hydraulic report, Intersection Design Studies (Milwaukee Avenue, Portwine Road & Saunders/Riverwoods Road), and maintenance of traffic during construction.
A 15-foot tall noise wall was voted into the project by 37 benefitted Thonrgate residents and is located along the south side of Deerfield Road from approximately Big Oak Lane to Saunders Road, and along the west side of Saunders Road from Deerfield Road to Thorngate HOA Park. The final Traffic Noise Report has been approved by IDOT and is posted on the project website along with a summary of the traffic noise meeting (Information Center\Meeting Materials).

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact. The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime via e-mail directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

March/April 2020 - Project Update #14
Deerfield Road Project - Public Hearing Anticipated for Spring 2020

The Lake County Division of Transportation led Deerfield Road project is nearing the final stages of the Phase I Engineering Study, which culminates with a public hearing that is anticipated for Spring 2020 to solicit comments on the final Environmental Assessment and Engineering Reports.

The proposed improvement consists of reconstructing Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with additional lanes being added at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection and 3-lane curbed roadway from the river to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with multiuse path and drainage improvements. Minor intersection improvements will be made at the Portwine Road (northbound and southbound left turn lane) and Saunders/Riverwoods Road (northbound right turn lane) intersections. The proposed improvement design exhibits are located on the project website at: https://deerfieldroadcorridor.com/info_center/meeting_materials.aspx.

Some important project developments include:

The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) report was submitted to IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review in December 2019. The initial EA review by IDOT and FHWA is taking longer than anticipated and comments have not been received. Once their reviews have been completed, the Public Hearing will be scheduled.
Based on the best available information we have at this time, the earliest the Public Hearing will be scheduled is May 2020. The Environmental Assessment will be released for public comment approximately 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks following the Public Hearing.
In addition to the Environmental Assessment for the project an Engineering Design Report is being prepared. The project team is continuing to complete the various technical and design components to complete Phase I Engineering. Some of these items include drainage design plans, roadway design plans, footprint assessment & land acquisition refinements, Des Plaines River bridge design & hydraulic report, Thorngate Creek hydraulic report, Intersection Design Studies (Milwaukee Avenue, Portwine Road & Saunders/Riverwoods Road), and maintenance of traffic during construction.
A 15-foot tall noise wall was voted into the project by 37 benefitted Thonrgate residents and is located along the south side of Deerfield Road from approximately Big Oak Lane to Saunders Road, and along the west side of Saunders Road from Deerfield Road to Thorngate HOA Park. The final Traffic Noise Report has been approved by IDOT and is posted on the project website along with a summary of the traffic noise meeting (Information Center\Meeting Materials).

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact . The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime via e-mail directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

January 2020
Traffic Noise Report Approved

The Traffic Noise Report was approved by IDOT for the project and resulted with a proposed 15-foot tall noise wall adjacent to Thorngate Subdivision along Deerfield Road and Saunders Roads. The final Traffic Noise Report can be found here: https://deerfieldroadcorridor.com/pdfs/tnr_deerfield%20rd_10292019_final.pdf

January/February 2020 - Project Update #13
Deerfield Road Project - Public Hearing Anticipated for Spring 2020

Some important project developments include:

The project's Environmental Assessment (EA) report has been submitted to IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for review. Once their reviews have been completed, the Public Hearing will be scheduled. The Environmental Assessment will be released for public comment approximately 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks following the Public Hearing.
The project team is currently targeting April 2020 for the Public Hearing but will be dependent on the IDOT and FHWA reviews being completed.
The recently submitted EA included updates for several new design elements:

An increased footprint for drainage elements (storm sewer, ditches, culverts and detention/compensatory storage basins/pipes) along the entire project is required to accommodate higher rainfall amounts per the April 2019 Illinois State Water Survey updated statistical rainfall data. This data is used to design and model the roadway drainage elements. The newly released data indicates Lake County is receiving between 20% and 45% higher rainfall amounts.
A 15-foot tall noise wall was voted into the project by 37 benefitted Thonrgate residents and is located along the south side of Deerfield Road from approximately Big Oak Lane to Saunders Road, and along the west side of Saunders Road from Deerfield Road to Thorngate HOA Park. More information be found on the project website (Information Center\Meeting Materials). The final Traffic Noise Report is still under review at IDOT and will be posted on the project website upon approval.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact. The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime via e-mail directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager,
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

November/December 2019- Project Update #12
Deerfield Road Project - Phase I Engineering Nearing Completion

The proposed improvement consists of reconstructing Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with additional lanes being added at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection and 3-lane curbed roadway from the river to Saunders/Riverwoods Road with multi-use path and drainage improvements. The proposed improvement design exhibits are located on the project website at https://deerfieldroadcorridor.com/info_center/meeting_materials.aspx.

Some important project developments have occurred since our last project update this past spring:

In April 2019 the Illinois State Water Survey released updated statistical rainfall data, which is used to design numerous roadway drainage elements. The newly released data indicates Lake County is receiving between 20% and 45% higher rainfall amounts. As such, the project team is re-evaluating the drainage design for the project including storm sewers, culverts, ditches, detention and compensatory storage. To accommodate the higher rainfall amounts, more space will be required for the drainage elements. This has caused the completion of Phase I Engineering to be delayed until the Spring 2020. Once the drainage design has been updated, the final Environmental Assessment Report will be updated and submitted to IDOT and Federal Highway Administration for approval prior to the Public Hearing.
A traffic noise study was prepared for the entire project to evaluate the effects of the proposed roadway improvements on traffic noise. The results of the study showed that one area of the project met federal criteria for noise abatement (i.e. noise wall). A vote was held with the 37 properties benefitted by the noise abatement wall and resulted in 88% voting in favor (pending final IDOT review). The location of the noise abatement wall is located along the south side of Deerfield Road from approximately Big Oak Lane to Saunders Road, and along the west side of Saunders Road from Deerfield Road to Thorngate HOA Park. The height of the wall is 15-feet. More information, including a Noise Wall FAQ and Noise Forum presentation, can be found on the project website (Information Center\Meeting Materials). The final Traffic Noise Report will be posted on the project website following IDOT approval.
This past fall LCDOT was successful in obtaining federal funding for the project to help cover the $31 million dollar construction cost at an 80/20 cost share.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at www.deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact. The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime via e-mail directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager,
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

November/December- Project Update #11
Village of Riverwoods Newsletter Submission for the March/April 2019 issue
Deerfield Road Project - Detailed Design and Analysis Ongoing

Following the second Public Information Meeting that was held for the project on October 30th, 2018, the project team has been making design refinements and preparing final Phase I Engineering reports. With the project seeking federal funding, it must follow the federal project development process which is managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Therefore, all project related reports and analyses must be reviewed and approved by IDOT and FHWA before being formally released to the public and presented at the Public Hearing for comment. This process unfortunately takes some time and we are anticipating the Public Hearing to take place in Summer 2019 and completion of Phase I Engineering in late summer/early fall 2019. Prior to the Public Hearing, the project team will continue to meet with the Village, business owners, residents and other stakeholders as more information becomes available to share.

Generally, there are two main project reports being prepared for this project, the Design Report and Environmental Assessment. The Design Report contains design information for the roadway, intersections, structures, drainage/hydraulics, stormwater management facilities, utilities, and all project related coordination. The Environmental Assessment contains four main chapters: Purpose and Need, Alternatives Evaluated, Environmental Setting/Impacts/Mitigation, and Comments and Coordination. Below is a list of some items we have been working on over the winter months:

Design Refinements
- Southbound U-Turn at the Milwaukee Avenue Intersection
- Inclusion of space for future sidewalk across the Des Plaines River Bridge along the north side of Deerfield Road.
- Structural design for the Des Plaines River bridge widening (south side only) & detailing of bridge rehabilitation to extend the life of the existing bridge
- Finalize location of retaining walls
- Inclusion of sidewalk south along the west side of Portwine Road to Arrowwwood Trail
- Removal of mailbox turnouts from the design to minimize property impacts, decease added impervious, and create more green space.
- Roadway profile (i.e. elevation) optimization to best fit with adjacent properties
- Private property impact re-assessment
Drainage design refinements
- Two detention pond locations at the west end of the project at the Village owned property and Federal Life property will both be carried forward as part of the final Phase I design. Only one of the facilities is required and a decision will be made during the next phase of engineering as to which one will be chosen.
- Detailed design of the Thorngate Creek compensatory storage site
- Further investigation for areas of drainage concern raised at the 2nd Public Information Meeting by numerous residents living along the corridor.
Environmental Surveys & Impact Assessment
- Threatened & Endangered Species, Trees, and Natural Areas
- Wetlands, Surface Water Resources, Floodplains, and Aquatic Resources
Noise Analysis Report & Air Quality

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact.
The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime through the project website or e-mailed directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

November/December- Project Update #10
Village of Riverwoods Newsletter Submission for the November/December 2018 issue
Deerfield Road Project - Public Information Meeting #2 Held October 30th

The second Public Information Meeting was held for the project on October 30th, 2018 from 6pm to 8pm at Aptakisic Junior High School. There were 105 attendees that attended the meeting to view exhibit boards through a series of six stations. Twelve project team members were available to discuss the information at each station and answer questions.

The focus of the meeting were the stations showing alternative development process and the Preferred Alternative design, which consists of additional lanes at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection to address the 35-minute, 2-mile evening rush hour backup and a 3-lane curbed roadway from the river to Saunders/Riverwoods Road to improve accessibility/mobility and traffic flow. Additional design details are shown on the Preferred Alternative design exhibits, such as environmental resources, multi-use path location, sidewalk, key drainage features, construction limits, and temporary/permanent property acquisition. All information shown at the second Public Information Meeting is posted on this project website.

One of the key outcomes from the second Public Information Meeting is to obtain design related input and comments from our stakeholders. Factoring in design-related input and comments received at the second Public Information Meeting, the project team will make design revisions. Preparation of the detailed design plans, engineering reports, and Environmental Assessment will occur over the next several months, and a Public Hearing is anticipated in Spring 2019 to present the results. During this time, the project team will be coordinating with affected property owners regarding temporary and permanent impacts associated with the project. Project updates will continue to be posted on the home page of the project website.

All comments received by November 16th, 2018 will be summarized within the Public Information Meeting record. Comments can be submitted in writing using the comment form found on the website and mailed in to the County or can be submitted electronically via the project website. Following the comment period, a formal Public Information Meeting summary will be prepared and posted to the project website. To address commonly asked project related questions, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document will be prepared and posted to the project website in early December. The FAQ will be updated as needed to facilitate communication with our project stakeholders.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact.

The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime through the project website or e-mailed directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

October 2018
Public Information Meeting #2

The Lake County Division of Transportation held Public Information Meeting #2 for Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road.

The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is hosting the second public information meeting regarding improvements to Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Saunders/Riverwoods Road. The purpose of this meeting is to present the Preferred Alternatives and seek public comment on: Preferred Alternative on Deerfield Road from the Des Plaines River to Saunders/Riverwoods Road and Preferred Alternative on Deerfield Road from Milwaukee Avenue to Des Plaines River. The details of the second Public Information Meeting are as follows:

October 30, 2018
6:00-8:00 PM
Aptakisic Jr High School
1231 Weiland Road
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

The meeting will be conducted in an open house format and interested persons may visit anytime between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. There will be exhibits which will display the proposed right-of-way and proposed property impacts. LCDOT representatives, along with project team members, will be available to answer questions regarding the project.

Written comments will be accepted during the meeting and through the U.S. mail or via the project website at DeerfieldRoadCorridor.com. All comments received by November 16, 2018 will be summarized within the Public Information Meeting record. If you are unable to attend the public meeting, you are encouraged to view the meeting materials and provide your comments via the project website.

This meeting will be accessible to handicapped individuals. Anyone needing specific assistance should contact Victoria Watts at (630) 510-3944 ex:109. Persons planning to attend who will need a sign language interpreter or other similar accommodations should notify the TTY/TTD number (800) 526-0844/or 711; TTY users (Spanish) (800) 501-0864/or 711; and for Telebraille dial (877) 526-6670 at least five days prior to meeting.

July/August, 2018 - Project Update #8
Deerfield Road Project - Preliminary Preferred Alternative Design Ongoing

As many have experienced, it currently takes around 35 minutes to travel west on Deerfield Road from Saunders/Riverwoods Road to Milwaukee Avenue in the evening rush hour, a nearly 2-mile backup. The Preliminary Preferred Alternative identified by the County this past Spring is projected to reduce the travel time by 80% to just under 7 minutes.

The alternative development and evaluation process that has ensued over the last year produced a clear Preliminary Preferred Alternative consisting of an intersection improvement at Milwaukee Avenue that adds westbound capacity with additional lanes and a 3-lane roadway section with curb & gutter from the Des Plaines River to the Saunders/Riverwoods Road intersection This alternative best addresses the transportation needs of the Deerfield Road corridor while having the smallest footprint and impacts of all alternatives considered.

The project team is anticipating agreement on the identified Preliminary Preferred Alternative from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Federal Resource Agencies in July 2018. Following their agreement on the Preliminary Preferred Alternative, the roadway, intersection and drainage designs will be completed and prepared for stakeholder/public review. The 4th Stakeholder Involvement Group meeting and 2nd Public Meeting are targeted for August and September 2018 respectively, and will seek input on the proposed improvement design.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings, and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail at deerfieldroadcorridor.com/contact.

The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime through the project website or e-mailed directly to DeerfieldRoadCorridorComment@cbbel.com.

By: Matthew Huffman, P.E. - Project Manager
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd

Feb/March, 2018 - Project Update #6
Stakeholder Involvement Group Meeting #3 Held

The third Stakeholder Involvement Group (SIG) meeting was held on January 25, 2018 at Riverwoods Village Hall. The meeting presentation, handouts, and displayed exhibits are available. The key information displayed at the meeting included an Alternative Development Summary Exhibit, Range of Alternatives Typical Sections, and Range Alternative Comparative Evaluation.

The presentation focused on the range of alternatives development and evaluation for the east section of the project from the Des Plaines River to (and including) the Saunders/Riverwoods Road intersection. The alternative evaluation for process resulted in one alternative clearly distinguishing itself from the others, a 3-Lane Roadway Section with Curb & Gutter (Alternative 3), and has been identified as the preliminary preferred alternative for the east section of the project that will be advanced for more detailed design and evaluation. As compared to the other alternatives that were developed and evaluated, Alternative 3 has:

Best overall transportation improvement
Smallest footprint (i.e. proposed right-of-way)
Comparable mobility (i.e. turning onto and off Deerfield Road)
Greatest predicted crash reduction
Lowest environmental and private property impacts
One of the lowest cost alternatives

The project team is still in the alternative development and evaluation process for the west section of the project from (and including) the Milwaukee Avenue intersection to the Des Plaines River. Coordination with Illinois Department of Transportation is ongoing and a preliminary preferred alternative is anticipated to be identified in spring 2018.

Once an alternative is selected for the west section of the project, detailed design of the preliminary preferred alternative will occur for the entire corridor. Further stakeholder coordination will occur in spring 2018. SIG Meeting #4 and the second Public Information Meeting are anticipated in summer 2018 to present the detailed design of the preliminary preferred alternative.

To receive e-mail notifications of all upcoming public meetings, and to review the most up to date study information, register your e-mail.

The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted anytime through the project website or e-mailed directly.

Jan/Feb 2018 - Project Update #5
Deerfield Road Project Range of Alternatives Complete

Did you know that 40% of the pavement structure along the Deerfield Road corridor is in failing condition? Continuing to resurface the nearly 50 year old roadway pavement is no longer a cost effective pavement management strategy and pavement reconstruction is needed. When a significant investment is made, like roadway reconstruction, a study of other roadway needs and associated impacts is conducted through a Phase I Engineering Study. The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is the lead agency for the Deerfield Road Phase I Engineering Study, and has identified the needs of this project to include capacity, safety, mobility, non-motorized and transit connections, and operational deficiencies (e.g. pavement condition). The project purpose and need is the first chapter of the Phase I Engineering report, called an Environmental Assessment, and can be found on the project website.

The project kicked off with a Public Meeting in November 2016. By the end of 2017, the team completed analyzing, and evaluating a full range of alternatives for improvements along the corridor and the termini intersections of Milwaukee Avenue and Saunders/Riverwoods Road. The main components of the alternative analysis and comparative evaluation include transportation performance, mobility, safety, environmental impacts, socio economic impacts, and cost.

The third Stakeholder Involvement Group meeting will be held in late January 2018. At that meeting, the project team will review and seek input on the range of alternatives and comparative evaluation analysis results. The meeting presentation will be posted in the Information Center in early February.

The next step in the Deerfield Road corridor project development process will be continued outreach to project stakeholders and to narrow down the range of alternatives. To that end, a second public meeting will be held this spring to seek public input on the finalist alternatives.

To receive e-mail notification of all upcoming public meetings, and to review the most up to date study information, sign up for our mailing list. The project team always welcomes your feedback, comments can be submitted directly to the project team.

Nov/Dec 2017 - Project Update #4
Technical Work Continuing on Deerfield Corridor Project
Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is leading a Phase I Engineering Study of Deerfield Road from the Milwaukee Avenue intersection to the Saunders/Riverwoods Road intersection.

Since the second Stakeholder Involvement Group (SIG) meeting in June 2017, the project team has been developing, analyzing, and evaluating a full range of alternatives for improvements along Deerfield Road. All of the alternatives being considered factor in the improvements being made at the Milwaukee Avenue intersection as part of the Woodman's development at the northwest and southwest quadrants.

The development, analysis and comparative evaluation of the range of alternatives is targeted for completion in November 2017, and generally consists of traffic modeling, safety analysis, concept design, impact assessment (socio economic and environmental), and cost. The range of alternatives will be compared relative to one another, including the no-build alternative, and evaluated for how each alternative meets the project Purpose and Need. A summary comparative evaluation table will be utilized to summarize the alternative evaluation and analysis results.

The third Stakeholder Involvement Group meeting is planned for January 2018. That meeting will focus on reviewing and screening the full range of alternatives. The second public information meet for the project will be held in spring 2018 to seek public input and comment on the finalist alternatives.

Visit the Information Center where all project related information including the most recent version of the Purpose and Need, full summaries of all Stakeholder Involvement Group Meetings and a Frequently Asked Questions document. Comments on the project are welcomed throughout the entire study and can be submitted to the project team. Finally, sign up to receive project notifications at each project milestone.

06.30.17
On Wednesday, June 28, 2017 the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) held the second Stakeholder Involvement Group (SIG) meeting, with 19 out of 23 SIG members attending. The project team provided an update on project progress since the last SIG meeting, reviewed the federal project development process (NEPA) this project is in, discussed the status of the Purpose and Need statement, reviewed the technical work completed to date and had discussion about the range of alternatives and alternative evaluation process and criteria. SIG members asked questions and provided input on the range of alternatives, design elements, and alternative evaluation criteria. All SIG #2 meeting materials, are available in the Information Center.

The project team will begin developing a full range of alternatives to be considered for the Deerfield Road corridor and intersections. Through the discussions at the second SIG meeting, the project team received valuable input to aide them developing a full range of alternatives. A specific process is followed to evaluate each alternative for transportation performance, mobility, non-motorized accommodations, safety, environmental resources, socio-economic resources, and cost. The full range of alternatives and the alternative evaluation will be presented to the SIG at the next meeting which is anticipated in Fall 2017.

06.08.17
The project team is nearing completion of the first stage of the project, the development of the Purpose and Need statement, which establishes a basis for developing a full range of alternatives (Stage Two). The Stakeholder Involvement Group has had the opportunity to review and comment on the preliminary Purpose and Need statement and the Purpose and Need statement is in the last stages of the approval process through the Federal Highway Administration. Once the Purpose and Need statement has been approved, it will be posted to the project website. One of the first steps in Stage Two of the project is to gather input and ideas on a full range of alternatives, which is the focus of the second Stakeholder Involvement Group (SIG) meeting. The overall objective of Stage Two is to determine all possible alternatives and subsequently proceed through a process of analysis, evaluation, alternative comparison, and elimination. The second SIG meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 28, 2017. The SIG presentation materials will be posted to the project website immediately following the meeting and any comments can be submitted through the project website.

03.31.17
On Thursday, March 2, 2017 the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) held the first Stakeholder Involvement Group (SIG) meeting. The project team provided a project overview, discussed the overall project development process and public involvement process, summarized the Public Information Meeting #1, and reviewed data collection and technical analysis completed thus far for inclusion in the preliminary Purpose and Need statement. SIG members provided input for consideration on additional issues and concern, identifying project goals and relative importance, and assisted with drafting a project problem statement. Input received from the SIG will be used by LCDOT and the project team to help develop the preliminary Purpose and Need, which is the first component of the Environmental Assessment. All SIG #1 meeting materials, including a summary of the meeting, are available in the Information Center.

The next SIG meeting is anticipated in Summer 2017, which will focus on an initial range of alternatives and a discussion of the alternative evaluation criteria.

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