Wilmington still hopes for changes to Illiana route
By Mary Baskerville Correspondent December 14, 2012 8:37PM
Kevin Kirwin, a Wilmington alderman, mows his back yard off Sea Ray Lane Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, in Wilmington. The proposed Illiana Expressway may be situated north of the neighborhood. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: January 17, 2013 6:39AM
Wilmington is still lobbying for changes in the proposed pathway of the Illiana Expressway.
Mayor Marty Orr said recently that the city has not had any recent communication with the Illinois Department of Transportation but is hopeful that the state will consider realigning the proposed Illiana to lessen the impact to Wilmington.
A pathway using a portion of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie as it runs parallel along the New River Road is what the city desires, Orr said.
He said the city needs to “prepare and make plans” for the impacts that expressway will bring to Wilmington. The position of the city is that any resident impacted by the expressway be taken care of, Orr said. The city also wants to see that any recreational areas that are impacted be taken care of, he said.
Wilmington wants a voice in the placement of interchanges and toll booths, but does not want to become a route for trucks diverting from the expressway to avoid tolls, Orr said.
He said areas of Wilmington likely to be most impacted include Foxtail Commons and Deer Creek Estates northeast of town and the O’Brien subdivision northwest of town, and the project will have a more indirect impact on Waters Edge.
