Roscoe committee holds firm on right-of-way at Rockton–Willowbrook intersection despite developerproposal

Roscoe, Ill.

At a May 6, 2025, Village of Roscoe board committee meeting, trustees signaled they will preserve the right-of-way shown in prior intersection plans for Rockton Road and Willowbrook Road rather than approve a lot split proposed by developer First Midwest that would place a retail pad where the preserved right-of-way is shown. The developer has proposed subdividing an existing parcel to create a smaller lot that would host a drive-through tenant identified in the submission as a potential Starbucks.

The committee discussion centered on long-range capacity needs at the intersection. Consultants and staff referenced an intersection design study prepared during the Willowbrook Road reconstruction planning that projects traffic growth and calls for dual left-turn lanes and additional turn lanes in multiple directions. That design, which the village sought and obtained approvals on from state and county authorities in prior years, requires additional right-of-way to be available for future construction. Staff said the intersection is under the jurisdiction of Winnebago County for Rockton Road while Willowbrook Road falls under the villages responsibility; the county controls the intersection geometry because Rockton is the major road.

Village staff and the consultant explained that alternatives to taking the right-of-way such as shifting the intersection geometry substantially would require extensive reconstruction and additional approvals and are not practicable. Funding for full reconstruction is not available now; staff said the Willowbrook Road project is an unfunded long-range project that has been estimated previously in the low double-digit millions. As a result, staff said any future construction depends on finding funding and on permitting and approvals from state and county agencies.

Representatives of the developer (First Midwest) told the committee they regard a second lot as necessary to make the project financially viable. Committee members pressed whether the developer could shift the proposed building location or reduce its footprint; staff and the developer said those changes would undermine the projects economics as presented. Trustees discussed options including dedication of right-of-way, the village buying right-of-way, or holding firm to the previously approved plan to protect future village mobility needs.

The committee took a direction vote (straw poll) indicating it favors maintaining the villages established right-of-way alignment and preserving the ability to construct the previously approved intersection improvements when funding becomes available. Staff said the result gives them authority to continue negotiations with First Midwest from a position of preserving the villages long-range right-of-way needs rather than relinquishing them for the present development. No formal sale, dedication, or purchase of land was approved at the meeting.

Why this matters: the approved intersection geometry and the extra right-of-way are intended to allow dual left-turn lanes and other changes that village engineering studies and county reviewers said are necessary to handle projected traffic growth; allowing development that prevents those improvements could block upgrades for surrounding parcels and hamper future traffic capacity and safety improvements.

What happens next: staff will continue discussions with the developer, and the village indicated it will pursue funding opportunities and maintain the right-of-way for the long-range Willowbrook/Rockton reconstruction. Any change to that posture would require a future formal board action.