Plainfield Seeking Input On 143rd Street Extension Plan

PLAINFIELD, IL — The Village of Plainfield is seeking the public's input on its plans to extend 143rd Street. Before the village sends the nearly $60 million project's design specifics to the state for approval, it is asking the public to weigh in.

Plainfield has been working for years to extend 143rd Street east of Route 59 to Route 126 as a means of diverting truck traffic and easing congestion downtown. The project received a big boost last year, when the village secured a $20 million grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation's (IDOT) Competitive Freight Program.

Now, the village is working to finalize plans for the project before sending them off to IDOT for design approval. Plans for the project were made available at a public meeting in late September, and the village is asking residents to comment on the plans.

Plans call for connecting 143rd between IL-59 and IL-126 via a new, one-mile-long roadway. A 1,000-foot bridge would be constructed over the DuPage River. About 0.8 miles of bike and pedestrian paths would be included, and it would connect to the DuPage River trail, according to the village.

A number of intersection improvements are incorporated in the plan, including adding a traffic signal at the new four-way intersection at IL-126 and 143rd Street and a new traffic signal at 143rd Street and Naperville Road.

The plan is in its engineering and environmental study phase. Noise studies for the project were completed and approved years ago. The village has also met with a number of property owners along the proposed route, including the Bass & Gill Club. One residence and one business will be displaced due to the project, but village documents do not indicate which properties will be impacted.

The project is slated to cost $59 million, according to presentation materials from the village. Plainfield is expected to kick in $9 million for the project, and nearly $25 million has been secured from state and federal agencies. The village is seeking another $17.5 million from the U.S. Government and $7.6 million from IDOT, funds that have not yet been secured.

The village is hoping to send the project's design for state approval next year. If it's approved, land acquisition could begin in 2020 and construction could start in 2022, according to the village.

Since it was proposed, the 143rd Street extension has drawn criticism from some residents who have expressed concerns about noise as well as the impact it could have on wildlife.

Residents are asked to weigh in on the plan. Those interested in voicing their opinion can fill out this form and email it to publicworks@goplainfield.com or mail it to Plainfield Public Works, c/o Randy Jessen, at 1440 Coil Plus Dr., Plainfield, IL, 60544. To check out the village's informational presentation on the project, click here.