Village of Lombard Legistar System

Upon Roll Call by Village Clerk, Suzan L. Kramer, the following were Present: President

Mueller, Trustees DeStephano, Tross, Koenig, Sebby, and Soderstrom.

Absent: Trustee Florey

Quorum Present

Appointed Officials Present:

Acting Village Manger/Finance Director Len Flood

Assistant to the Village Manager Ellen Balsamo

Village Attorney Thomas P. Bayer

Village Attorney Janet Petsche

Director of Community Development David Hulseberg

Fire Marshal Dean Maggos

Police Chief Van Dillenkoffer

Public Works Director Stan Rickard

Village Engineer Dave Dratnol

Civil Engineer Bill Heniff

Records Clerk Diane Mucha

David Arnold, 527 E. Washington Blvd., stated he has not been a lifelong resident but

owns Frankie's on St. Charles Road in Lombard. He has joined several business

organizations and has participated in the Taste of Lombard. He has also served on the

Public Works Advisory Committee for 20 years. He spoke in regard to the downtown

Lombard area. He commented that he has talked to several people about the Prairie

Path crossings at Westmore and also on Main Street. He stated that he is aware that

Main Street is coming up for rejuvenation. He requested that future work on Main Street

should be 2 lanes of traffic with parallel parking to the curb, with a center turn lane. He

asked that the Board consider safety issues and make Lombard business friendly.

President Mueller asked if anyone else wished to speak.

There was no one.

Trustee Koenig stated that the Committee met on June 19, 2001. Discussed at that time

were policy changes that will come before the Board at a later date, including vehicle

licensing for Enterprise Car Company, changes in the purchasing manual regarding

travel expenses, and review of the Staff's implementation liability program. The

Committee had also determined to change their meeting date to the third Tuesday of

each month from the third Thursday of the month.

Trustee Tross stated that when the item comes before the Board regarding vehicle

stickers for leased vehicles, he would like to discuss some form of reduced fee or

amnesty.

Trustee Koening stated that the Committee will review this issue again.

Trustee Soderstrom has also requested additional information in regard to this matter.

Acting Village Manager, Len Flood stated that there was no report.

President Mueller spoke of the participation of the Village of Lombard in the Relay For

Life which took place the first weekend in June. He thanked all the employees that took

part. He reported that Village employees raised $2,300.00 and $160,000.00 was raised

by the East DuPage Unit.

President Mueller then stated that the Sears Great Indoors' official grand opening

started that day. He commented that the merchandise available is unbelievable. He

reminded residents to "shop Lombard". He reported that 200 jobs have been brought to

Lombard with the opening of the Great Indoors Store.

President Mueller also reminded residents that the Italian Fest being held at Christ the

King Church is ongoing through Sunday, June 24, 2001.

Trustee Tross reminded everyone about the Taste of Lombard which will open on July

3, 2001 and will run until Sunday, July 8, 2001. He stated that the fireworks are to be

fantastic, and a Bingo grand prize of $250.00 will be offered on July 4, and July 6, 2001.

President Mueller commented that the fireworks will take place on the 4th of July at

approximately 9:30 p.m.

President Mueller stated that Lombard had one hundred plus members on it's various

committees, boards, and commissions and he encouraged residents to participate.

President Mueller invited any residents interested in joining the boards, committees, or

commissions, to call the Village Manager's office and speak to Carol Bauer. Areas of

expertise that are needed are an architect, building engineer, electrical engineer, and

electrical supplier.

President Mueller went over the names to be approved for appointments to the various

committees, commissions, and boards.

Trustee Tross commented that the perception by some people is there are differences in

this matter between himself and President Mueller. Trustee Tross stated that is was

never his intent to be critical but to bring the committees up to speed and not have terms

of 6 years.

Trustee DeStephano said that she was glad that Trustee Tross brought up the issue and

also that the appointments are being left to the chairpersons. She mentioned Steve

Prines who was not allowed to continue on the Public Works Committee after having

served on the Committee for 12 years.

Trustee Koeing agreed with several comments by Trustee DeStephano about openness

and encouraging new citizen participation. Trustee Koenig would like a consensus on

what the Board looks for in Committee appointments and would like a discussion at

some later time in regard to qualifications required of members.

President Mueller commented on the importance of the Committees to sit down and

review their goals and intents and come up with a mission statement of their goals. He

also commented that the Environmental Concerns Committee has excelled over the

past year under Trustee Florey's leadership as well as the Public Works Committee

under Trustee Sebby's leadership.

Trustee Tross agreed with President Mueller. He commented that from his experience,

some of the best members of past committees have been those with a strong personal

concern for the Village.

Trustee DeStephano agreed with Trustee Koenig that a professional degree or level of

education is not everything.

President Mueller stated that he is aware of two residents that wanted to serve on

committees, but withdrew their names due to some of the unfavorable articles in the

newspapers.

Michael McGowan, 0S173 Route 53, stated that he has lived there for more than 20

years. He stated that he was aware of the tollway expansion when he purchased his

home and that 35 feet of front property was reserved for future expansion. He feels the

improvements should only be done when and where needed, and that the three of five

lane proposals made no sense. He also commented on the eight foot sidewalk issue

and stated that this was a safety concern as it would bring people too close to the street

and no one would use them.

Bill Mueller, 520 S. Brewster, stated that he has only lived at this address since

November, but wished to express his thanks for the time and energy put into the

proposed improvements. He presented statistics regarding various three lane roads in

different areas of the country and Mr. Mueller believes that four lanes will encourage

speeding and weaving. He requested that the Board reconsider four lanes and approve

the three lane configuration. He commented, Let's build a better road not a bigger road.

Sandi Salyer, 520 S. Brewster, commented that June is National Safety month and that

a three lane highway would be a safer alternative. She also commented that the cost for

a five lane highway would be too high and that adding a turn lane to a two lane road

would reduce rear end collisions by 37% and sideswipes by 67%.

Kathy Vokal, 533 W. Harding Road, in unincorporated Lombard, commented that she

feels there will be too much traffic on Harding Road when Harrison is shut down. She

said that she has a blind son who walks in the road with his dog. She also stated that a

four way stop is needed at Finley and Harding.

Laurie Lamantia, 59 N. Columbine, was concerned with vehicles speeding on Route 53

when lanes go from three lanes to four lanes. She stated that there is an accident in

front of her home once a month. She commented that she is in favor of a three lane

highway for safety reasons, and feels the Army Trail toll booth on I-355 should be

eliminated so the trucks will not exit I-355 in order to avoid that toll booth.

John Kuprowksi, 417 N. Columbine, has lived in Lombard for four years. He stated that

he feels a three lane highway would make it easier to get in and out of driveways, and

traffic has increased by vehicles exiting I-355 in order to avoid the Army Trail toll booth.

He also commented that cars drive on the shoulder of the road of Route 53.

Carolyn Frueh, 1000 S. Route 53, stated that she lives on the curve of Route 53. She

has 3 children that get on the bus for Madison School, and that Madison School has 4

buses that travel on Route 53. She commented that one child was almost hit by a

vehicle trying to bypass a school bus. She said that the speed limit is forty, and she has

yet to see anyone not exceed that speed limit, as vehicles usually travel at 50 mph. She

said that she has to drive her children to the park across the street because she cannot

cross the street on foot.

William Soldwisch, 44 S. Columbine, stated that he lives in a four lane area and it is very

hard to retrieve his mail from the mailbox. He also must slow his vehicle down at St.

Charles Road in order not to get rear-ended as he turns into his driveway.

Mark Skiersch, 59 S. Columbine, said that in order to get into his driveway, he must slow

down to 20-25 MPH, three to four blocks before his driveway in order to slow traffic

behind him. He stated that he believes that the policing on that street is very poor and

there is no adherence by vehicles to the speed limit. He believes that a four lane

highway will encourage speeding. He asked why we need to expand the highway when

we have

I-355.

Lynn O'Donnell, 220 S. Brewster, stated that she does not live on Route 53, but she is

in favor of a three lane highway to limit access to Lombard. She believes I-355 should

be used to accommodate traffic, not Route 53.

Jim Witherspoon, 1037 S. Route 53, commented that he has lived there for 15 years. He

stated that the traffic problem has become worse since I-355 being installed and that a

three lane highway would be better than a four lane highway. He said that people are

exiting I-355 in order to avoid the toll booth.

President Mueller encouraged residents to address their concerns to the Illinois

Department of Transportation located in Downer's Grove, as they are responsible for

this project. He also said that as a resident in 1953, he was aware that Route 53 would

be increased in size. He stated his concerns about cut through traffic, mentioning

Madison Street which turned out to be a cut through area. In Trustee DeStephano's

district, Meadow and Woodland were changed to stop left turn traffic.

President Mueller addressed the issue of the enforcement of the speed on Route 53. He

commented that Lombard has a team of police that focuses on the enforcement of truck

speed.

President Mueller stated that he has met with the Mayor of Addison and the former

Village President of Glen Ellyn. Their consensus was to support a three lane highway

through these towns with Addison being in favor of a five lane highway in certain

industrial areas. At that time, Kurt Brown, the person in charge of IDOT, was asked

about the North Avenue project and the Roosevelt Road overlay. Mr. Brown confirmed

that the North Avenue project will start construction two years from now and the

Roosevelt Road project will begin within a year.

Trustee Tross commented that the Trustees' purpose is to help residents, and he feels

that some residents are disinformed not misinformed. He stated that Route 53 is a

designated truck route and Lombard has no jurisdiction as Route 53 is state regulated.

He named various streets in Lombard that are four lanes. Trustee Tross stated that the

Village of Lombard should take a position relative to the impact that the highway will

have on our neighborhoods. He also commented that one of the misconceptions that

was incorrectly stated in the newspaper, was that a strip mall was being considered for

the area along Route 53. Trustee Tross asked the Director of Community Development,

David Hulseberg to comment.

Mr. Hulseberg stated that there has never been that intention for that area.

Trustee Tross then went on to comment that any three lane or five lane proposal was

unacceptable to the Committee because the middle lane invites left turn traffic into

neighborhoods, and all collector streets should be pork chopped.

Trustee Tross went on to comment on the following items:

10. Water, sewer, and storm water infrastructure was addressed by Village Engineer,

Dave Dratnol, who emphasized that these issues need to be considered during the

Route 53 construction.

Trustee Sebby agreed.

9. The Committee felt strongly about beautifying the area with trees, shrubs and other

buffer planting on both sides of Route 53.

8. Along with improvement of Route 53 should be a sidewalk , pedway, and bike path.

7. Street lights, subject to IDOT specifications, should be in a style similar to those on

North Avenue in Elmhurst. These are antique looking lights that are blocked on both

sides to control light spillage.

6. That IDOT directly assist the DuPage County Health Department to acquire a direct

access to Route 53. The Department of Health wants to replace the existing structure

with a 38,000 square foot facility.

5. That the Prairie Path overpass connect to the proposed sidewalk.

4. To lower the overpass for access to Route 53.

3. Right in, right out in the areas of Sunset, Pleasant, Glenwood, Woodland, Charles

Lane, Harding Road, Harrison Road and Whitmore Lane.

2. Intersections with traffic lights and left turn bays are to be Northgate Shopping Center

entrance, Illinois Route 64 - North Avenue (Dual left turn bays), Meadow Avenue, St.

Charles Road, DuPage County Health Department, Madison Avenue, Surrey Lane.

1. That the roadway be designed to a four lane configuration, not five or three, as forty

per cent of the roadway is already four lanes. He stated that the committee's real intent

is to direct traffic to where it has to go. He explained that the committee felt that three

lanes would be inadequate for traffic flow and that five lanes would be too great. Safety,

aesthetics, and residential design were of the most concern.

Trustee Tross continued to explain that the cost could be one and a half million dollars.

Mr. Dratnol agreed that figure would easily be reached.

President Mueller expressed his thanks to Trustee Tross and the committee for the

amount of time, work, and consideration involved in this matter.Trustee

Trustee Soderstrom commended the Transportation and Safety Committee. He then

stated that IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) seems to be a faceless entity,

and the Board's responsibility is to the people of Lombard. He stated that the character

of the road should be retained, four lanes may not be better and may not deter left turns

into the community. He commented that one voice saying the same thing will carry more

weight. He again spoke of the need to be responsible to the citizens of Lombard. He

stated that the safety issue Trustee Soderstrom used the four way stop at Magnolia and

Cherry as analogy to illustrate the fact that he will take steps for safety, over whether or

not the traffic counts or warrants indicate a measure. He stated that regarding the

number of lanes proposed for Route 53, he felt that the 4 lane suggestion was not a

wise idea, but that he would favor 4 lanes striped as 3 over a 4 or 5 lane roadway.

Trustee Koenig also complimented the committee on the amount of time and effort spent

by them. She was not convinced that the growth of Lombard during the next 20 years

will be as much as it has been in the past 20 years, but she commented on the fact that

there is more development 6 miles to the west. She expressed her belief that the

"boomer bubble" will not be replaced. She stated that she has read the conclusions and

recommendations of the NIFTI report and it appeared to her that a three lane highway

would not serve the community as well as a four lane highway.

Trustee Tross stated that vehicle traffic at North Avenue is at 25,000, 23,000 South of

St. Charles, and 15,000 at Parkview Boulevard.

Trustee Koenig said that she is not convinced that a three lane highway would be

adequate and is inclined to go with the Committee recommendation. She felt that some

areas justify a three lane highway and some areas justify a five lane area. She did not

approve of five lanes due to a lot of traffic moving into the area. Trustee Koenig wished

to support the surrounding communities without a recommendation.

Trustee DeStephano also commended Trustee Tross and the Committee, especially in

regard to the inclusion of the improvements of sidewalks, pedways. She stated that she

is aware that IDOT wants a five lane highway which she could not support. She

commented that she feels the issue is a three lane versus a five lane highway. She

stated that she will vote in favor of a three lane highway.

Trustee Sebby commented that it is very difficult to determine the proper number of

lanes as traffic seems to escalate with the growth of the community. He stated that he

lives on Grace Street where traffic is also too fast. He then commented that the

residents that live on Route 53 knew when they bought their homes that Route 53 is a

state highway and that the state will do what the state wants to do. He commended

Trustee Tross and the Committee for the amount of time spent on this item. Trustee

Sebby said that four lanes would not reduce traffic but make it more dangerous. He

stated that the Board can make recommendations to IDOT and address the issues that

can be controlled.

Trustee Florey agreed with many items such as trees, sidewalks, pedway, street lights

and the Prairie Path overpass. He did not support putting traffic on Madison Avenue, an

under-improved feeder road, with the poor elevations.

Trustee Tross stated that Madison is a collector road with 12,000 vehicles passing in

front of the school already. A right in, right out access would be considered.

Trustee Florey could not agree to Madison being a collector street, and stated that right

in, right out should be required. He mentioned that a frontage road for the residents

may be the only safe route, but did not know if that was possible. Trustee Florey

commented that a three lane highway would encourage shoulder traffic as traffic is too

heavy, five lanes would encourage excessive speed and traffic, and that four lanes

would have it's own problems, but would serve to move people through the Route 53

corridor.

Trustee Tross responded by stating that there would be insufficient funds and

right-of-way to place a frontage road. He also stated this would have to be paid for by

the Village of Lombard as IDOT would not contribute funds.

Trustee Florey commented that by proposing a four lane highway to IDOT, they would

be more inclined to agree with the recommendation.

President Mueller reminded the Board that the proposed North Avenue improvements

which are similar to this plan for landscaping will be very costly to the Village as will

changing the lighting on North Avenue and Route 53 to the style similar to the City of

Elmhurst, which will present considerable expense as well.

Trustee Tross asked Trustee DeStephano what the impact would be to her residents

with a signalized intersection at Meadow Avenue.

Trustee DeStephano requested more information to evaluate the traffic count.

Trustee Soderstrom commented that at the present time, the only access east is on St.

Charles Road and Roosevelt Road.