Northfield Voters Reject Proposal For Happ Road Roundabout In Citizen-Initiated Referendum

NORTHFIELD, IL — Northfield residents have decisively rejected a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Happ Road, Orchard Lane and Walnut Street, according to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk's Office.

With 2,161 residents voting against it and 954 in favor, about 70 percent of voters opposed the project. Results of the village's roundabout referendum are not binding, but trustees in the town of fewer than 6,000 people immediately responded.

“The residents of Northfield have spoken loud and clear, seven of every 10 residents voted against the roundabout referendum. What a great day for citizen engagement. As a home rule village, it is now incumbent on the Village Board to tell Cook County what our residents want," Trustee Barnaby Dinges told Patch, "and that’s Happ Road improvements without a dangerous roundabout.”

Trustees Tracey Mendrek and Matt Galin echoed the sentiment, suggesting in a joint statement that the project needs a full reevaluation.

“Given the overwhelming negative response, we believe the project must go back to the drawing board. As trustees, we must now work collaboratively with our community and local business owners to create a vision that excites and inspires the entire Northfield community,” they said.

The citizen-initiated referendum question has been driven by the recently formed “Save Happ Road Committee."

The proposed five-arm roundabout was aimed at reducing traffic conflicts and enhancing safety for all road users in Northfield’s Village Center. Construction costs would be covered entirely by federal, state and county grants, though the local government would be responsible for any enhancements like signage and landscaping features.

The current, unusual design of the intersection of Happ Road, Orchard Lane and Walnut Street has 50 potential conflict points — 30 for cars and 20 for pedestrians — while converting it to a roundabout cuts that to 10 for cars and 10 for pedestrians, according to village staff.

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Numerous studies have found roundabouts significantly reduce injury crashes while improving traffic flow.

Village staff said a roundabout was chosen following the consideration of various other options, like traffic lights and a four-way stop. The plan also aligns with Northfield’s 2040 Vision Plan to improve the walkability and community feel of the village center while creating a safer, lower-speed environment.

But representatives of the Save Happ Road Committee, including a pair of village trustees, argued that the roundabout would lead to the loss of parking spots and trees, harm local businesses and detract from the village’s small-town character.

“If our village leaders continue to push a plan that the public opposes, then are we representing the people we serve? It’s a recipe for disaster," Trustee Charles Orth said in a release. "And it’s bad for business, which simply makes this a bad idea."

“A former village manager started the roundabout about 10 years ago as a vanity project," Trustee Barnaby Dinges said in a statement ahead of the vote. “The Phase I study was totally bogus, and as a result the project is wildly unpopular. We need to start over and do it right. As a Home Rule community we can decide what’s best for Northfield.”

Dinges was referencing former Village Manager Stacy Sigman, who became village manager in 1998. After Dinges and Orth were elected to the village board in 2021, she accused them of interfering with her duties as village manager. In 2023, she had them both served cease-and-desist letters that accused them of spreading lies about her, and the village board subsequently approved a settlement that requires the village to continue paying her $267,000 a year through May 2025, plus an $85,000 payment, even as it hired another village manager in April.

Current Village Manager Patrick Brennan has warned that halting the roundabout project at this stage could require the village to repay around $1.5 million already spent on planning and design costs.

Dinges told Patch he considers that outcome unlikely, describing it as "fear-mongering."

The text of the roundabout referendum omits that potential cost, just as it does the safety benefits, though it does mention the potential loss of parking:

"Do you support the Village of Northfield's proposal to develop a roundabout at the intersection of Happ Road, Orchard Lane and Walnut Street, which would result in the removal of approximately 20 public parking spots currently available on Orchard Lane and Walnut Street?"

With the referendum’s outcome now clear, trustees will determine the next steps on the Happ Road project, with a clear mandate from residents to avoid a roundabout solution.

Read more: Northfield Roundabout Referendum Pits Parking, Trees Against Safety For Cars, Pedestrians