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Strand Associates presents Wolf Road Corridor alternatives; Indian Head Park backs sidewalk-focused plan
Summary
Strand Associates updated the Burr Ridge board March 10 on three alternatives for the Wolf Road Corridor study (79th Street to Plainfield Road). Indian Head Park indicated support for Alternative 1 (sidewalks), the study estimated roughly $30 million in construction cost, and the county — not yet funded — will pursue grant sources.
Strand Associates presented and summarized public feedback March 10 on the Wolf Road Corridor preliminary engineering study, which extends from 79th Street north to Plainfield Road and includes a portion of Burr Ridge. The study’s goal is to evaluate roadway, drainage, bridge and safety improvements and to identify pedestrian and bicycle accommodations.
Presenter Matt (Strand Associates) said the corridor study began in 2019 and was later expanded beyond Indian Head Park limits to include parts of Burr Ridge. He told the board that the county provided Invest in Cook grant funding to support the study phase and that the construction phase is not yet funded. Strand estimated the overall construction could be “at least a $30 million project,” and said the county would seek funding options and could phase work by segments as funding becomes available.
Strand described three alternatives. All three share a common roadway cross-section (one northbound lane, one southbound lane and a two-way left-turn lane) and an underground storm sewer system. The pedestrian/bicycle options vary: Alternative 1 emphasizes 5-foot sidewalks with a minimum 5-foot buffer from the road, Alternative 2 is similar in the Burr Ridge section (differences lie north of Joliet Road inside Indian Head Park), and Alternative 3 proposes an 8-foot shared-use path on one side of the corridor with wider right-of-way and potentially greater land acquisition.
Matt reported 114 public comments collected during an open period (92 emails, 17 comment cards and 5 voicemails); the majority of responses came from Indian Head Park residents. Strand also received four petitions, including a 126-signature petition from a “Safe Accessible Routes for All” effort; the other petitions were homeowner associations affiliated with Indian Head Park. Strand noted that because homes are set further back in the Burr Ridge section, fewer Burr Ridge residents participated in the public comment period.
Trustees asked about funding likelihood, phasing and long-term maintenance. Strand and Indian Head Park representatives said Indian Head Park’s board favors Alternative 1 and that the village will send a letter of support to Cook County; Burr Ridge agreed to coordinate and submit its own letter. Staff emphasized that if sidewalks or shared-use paths are constructed by the county, long-term maintenance would fall to the village and could entail easements or permanent right-of-way acquisitions.
Next steps: Strand and county staff requested input from Burr Ridge on which alternative the village prefers in its portion of the corridor; the county will continue seeking funding and could phase construction according to available funding.
