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183rd Street Improvements: LaGrange Rd. (IL Route 45) to 80th Avenue

Questions/Concerns from the November 5, 2003 Citizens Advisory Meeting

1. How are the concerns outlined in the petition going to be incorporated into the planned roadway?

Answer: The concerns outlined in the petition have been reviewed by the Village and Cook County Highway Department, and have also been incorporated into the discussions at the advisory group meetings. Where possible, the feedback will be incorporated in to the design elements of the improvements.

2. Sound Study: Were decibel levels obtained from both I-80 and 159th Street? How would the decibel levels on 183rd Street combined with I-80 levels affect subdivisions between the two roads?

Answer: Noise levels were collected at residences on streets that are most representative of what the proposed 183rd Street will be after the improvements are complete. Noise levels were taken in the rear yard at homes on 171st Street and 80th Avenue. Noise levels were also taken on Harlem Avenue (in the front yard) for a reference and on existing 183rd Street in a rear yard in Pheasant Lakes for a benchmark. The noise levels are usually taken in the rear yard, as this is the gathering area. However, noise levels were taken in the front yard on Harlem as a reference. Both I-80 and 159th Street are not representative of what is being proposed for 183rd Street because of the differences in lane configuration, total traffic volumes and/or truck volumes. In addition to the noise levels being studied on the streets mentioned above, existing noise levels were taken on 183rd Street, which includes any noise created from I-80. A full analysis of the noise data collected will be performed to show how the proposed improvements will impact the existing noise levels on 183rd Street.

3. How will the Village improve the areas in and around the roadway? (i.e. sidewalks, landscaping, guard rails, sound walls…)

Answer: The Village has been proactive when it comes to incorporating decorative landscaping into the design of the streets in Tinley Park. A landscaped median is being proposed, which will be planted with grass and trees, and trees will also be planted in the parkway between the road and the residences. Guardrails are not being proposed as part of the improvements. There will be sidewalks present where they are existing today along 183rd Street and additional sidewalks will be constructed in front of Tinley Gardens and extend west to 94th Avenue. Sound walls, berms and fences have all been discussed at the advisory group meetings and a further evaluation of these will be done after the results of the noise analysis are complete.

4. How will the road be lighted?

Answer: Streetlights will be installed in accordance with the Illuminating Engineering Society standards. The possibility of using decorative poles will be discussed in Phase 2 of the project.

5. Will there be traffic controls at 92nd Avenue?

Answer: 92nd Avenue is currently stop controlled at 183rd Street. Stoplights will only be added if the traffic volumes for the intersection meet the warrants to justify this addition and the change is approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Both the Village and the County are committed to monitoring the traffic volumes to determine the appropriate time to install necessary controls. This is also the case for 88th Avenue. Improvements are proposed for 92nd Avenue including widening the intersection and constructing a left-turn lane from 92nd Avenue to westbound 183rd Street to alleviate congestion at the intersection.

6. Asphalt vs. Concrete?

Answer: The Cook County Highway Department does not mandate that either asphalt or concrete be used to construct the roadway. Preliminarily, 183rd Street is proposed to be constructed from asphalt. As a part of the noise analysis discussed in question 2 above, the projected noise levels will be studied using asphalt and concrete construction to see if the type of material used has a significant impact on the noise created by vehicles on 183rd Street.

7. Metra right-of-way:

  1. Has Metra approved the right-of-way?
  2. If so, where are the documents from Metra memorializing the right-of-way?
  3. Where are the documents from the Village approving the right-of-way? (Ordinance, Minutes, Correspondence)
  4. Has Metra been invited to be a member of this Committee?
    1. If not, why not?

Answer: The Village of Tinley Park must obtain a permanent easement for constructing the roadway and an at-grade railroad crossing within Metra right-of-way. The Village is working with Metra on this matter, but final documents have not been created for the land usage. The design of the at-grade crossing of the railroad tracks is mandated by Metra, separate from the design of the roadway segments within the project limits. The at-grade crossing will be constructed in accordance with the most current railroad safety standards.

8. Funding:

  1. Who is paying for the Phase One Study?
    1. Appropriation Number
  2. Have appropriation numbers been assigned to any IDOT or other state funding?
    1. When will this occur?
    2. How will this occur?
    3. When will Village request these funds from IDOT

Answer: The state is funding 70% of the Phase 1 engineering and the Village is funding the remaining 30%. There are no appropriation numbers assigned to the money set aside by the Federal Government, State or Cook County for this project.

9. Meetings:

  1. Why are the meetings now closed to the public?
  2. How will residents of 183rd Street be informed of the outcomes of these closed meetings? (Mail letters to all residents? Mail minutes to all residents? Place minutes on website?)
  3. Will committee reconsider its decision of closing these meetings to the public?
  4. Will Village invite non-represented subdivisions to attend these closed meetings?

Answer: The Village of Tinley Park is committed to work with the residents during the planning stage of the improvements to 183rd Street. In order for the concerns of the residents to be heard and discussed formally, an advisory group made up of residents who reside in subdivisions adjacent to 183rd Street was formed. The advisory group allows an open discussion between the Village and the residents regarding topics on a written agenda. Using this format allows the concerns of the residents to be heard and discussed. Unfortunately, many of the items on the agenda from the August 20, 2003 meeting were not discussed at the meeting. This does not allow the planning process to proceed as necessary. After discussion with the members of the advisory group, a decision was made to invite only the advisory group members to meet and discuss issues that need to be addressed and attempt to accomplish the goals for the meeting. The consensus of the advisory group was that the November 5, 2003 meeting was productive, and that another meeting would be appropriate in January with a public meeting in February. A document has been drafted discussing the scope of the project and the issues discussed at the November 5th meeting. This document will be signed by all advisory group members and distributed to the residents in the area. The meeting minutes along with the answers to these questions will be posted on the Village of Tinley Park website.