A proposed revision of the northeastern Illinois regionaltransportation plan puts too much emphasis on highway constructionand will contribute to continued suburban sprawl, according to astudy released Friday.
The analysis of the updated 2010 Transportation Plan - which hasbeen offered for public comment - was commissioned by Business andProfessional People for the Public Interest, the Chicago LungAssociation and the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club.
It was conducted by Ders Anderson & Associates, a McHenry Countyland-use planning firm.
Speaking at a Palmer House news conference, Sierra Club statefield representative Jack Darin said:
"The 2010 Plan calls for massive expansions of our highwaysystem into currently undeveloped areas. The increased traffic willbring more urban smog to the region and expand development out intoour open spaces."
Darin said the transportation plan conflicts with the region'sland-use plan.
"Our analysis shows that the two plans are clearlyinconsistent," Darin said. "On the one hand, we have a proposal formassive expansion of the region's highway network into currentlyundeveloped areas and, on the other, a plan to discourage furthersprawl."
In the last two decades, Darin said, northeastern Illinois hasseen a 46 percent increase in developed land, while population hasgrown just 4 percent.
"This runaway suburban sprawl has been a disaster for theenvironment," he said. "In this region, urban sprawl has been thechief consumer of our open space, wetlands and natural areas andprime farmland.
"It also has led to a development pattern that leaves residentsalmost completely dependent on the automobile for transportation.Soaring vehicle use is the chief cause of our severe air pollutionproblems. Clearly, the status quo of more roads pushing farther andfarther out must change."
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