Surveys Being Done In Parker, Hadley, 167th Street Study

HOMER GLEN, IL — Surveys have started for a study of the Parker Road, Chicago-Bloomington Trail, Hadley Road and 167th Street project.

Residents noticed that trees in the area have been tagged, and a representative from the Will County Division of Transportation said the tags are required as part of a required tree study.

"The tags on the trees are part of a tree survey required by U.S. Fish and Wildlife due to the inclusion of the Northern Long-Eared Bat on the Endangered Species List last winter," Christina Kupkowski, phase 1 project manager and transportation planner for Will County, told Patch in an email earlier this week. "At this time, we do not know if any of the trees would need to be removed."

Consultants for the Will County Department of Transportation have been doing surveys along the project area, from US 6 to Will-Cook Road, Kupkowski said.

"These surveys are the initial stages of a study the WCDOT began last November," she added.

The study is being done because the pavement of the roadway was constructed in the 1980s, and is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced.

Kupkowski said there are also known drainage issues, especially on the south end of the project, and "there are known safety issues along the corridor, including locations with sight distance issues."

The study for this project is in its beginning stages, and the Will County Department of Transportation will hold multiple opportunities for the public to provide input.

"The initial meeting will probably be sometime in mid to late summer once all the data collection is complete and compiled," Kupkowski said. "This meeting will be held to gain input on existing conditions and concerns they may have as residents of the area."