Committee approves Prairie Stone Parkway access study to address arena-area congestion

The Transportation and Road Improvement Committee on June 9 approved a professional-services agreement with Kimley-Horn to conduct an access study for Prairie Stone Parkway and adjacent roads, at a cost not to exceed $60,966.

Sonia (village staff) told the committee the study will evaluate traffic flow on Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Boulevard and Pratham Avenue, focusing on event-related congestion at the Now Arena, parking and pedestrian crossings and connectivity to surrounding development. She said the study will include data collection this summer, alternative plans by the end of the year and a final draft by March 2026, and that recommendations could serve as the basis for future phase‑1 engineering.

Committee members described multiple reasons for the study. Trustee Kinahan and other members said Google routing and event traffic have produced congestion on local streets; staff noted the original road geometry anticipated a larger employment center that was never fully built out. The village also cited a 32‑acre vacant parcel west of the arena that may develop in the future and could add driveways and traffic that would alter access patterns.

Staff emphasized the study is planning and analysis only; it does not commit the village to any capital construction. Possible outcomes discussed include reconfiguring intersections, modifying medians, improving drop‑off/pickup and rideshare operations, and creating additional short‑term parking near the Village Green. Staff said more modest changes such as median reworkings or traffic‑routing changes are more likely than wholesale road reconstruction.

Trustees approved the study; one member registered a “nay” and one was recorded as abstaining during the committee vote. The committee chair confirmed the item can be returned for further discussion and said the consultant will present alternatives to committee before any capital commitments.

Why it matters: the area around Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Boulevard and the Now Arena has shifted from the higher‑volume office design for which the roads were built to a mixed entertainment/retail pattern that creates intermittent, high-congestion events. The study aims to provide data-driven alternatives to improve event and daily operations and to guide future infrastructure decisions as surrounding parcels develop.

Next steps: Kimley-Horn will begin data collection this summer; staff will bring alternatives to committee for review before recommending any engineering or construction projects to the board.