East Dundee presents draft bike-and-pedestrian plan and draft complete streets policy

Lisa Sweeney of CivilTech presented the village’s draft bicycle and pedestrian plan and an associated draft complete streets policy at the East Dundee Village Board meeting on June 15, saying the plan is intended as a “roadmap to prioritize future projects” and a tool for grant applications and resurfacing decisions.

Sweeney said the project, initiated last year, incorporated two steering-committee meetings, a public survey and an open house. The consultant reported nearly 200 survey responses and 55 interactive map comments, and said community priorities centered on intersection safety and filling sidewalk gaps to key destinations such as downtown and the Fox River Trail.

The draft recommends four facility types—shared-use paths (8–10 feet, off-road where possible), bike lanes, marked shared lanes and sidewalks—and a toolbox of intersection improvements including pedestrian signals, curb bumpouts and refuge islands. The presentation highlighted bike lanes proposed for Bington Avenue and shared-use paths along higher-speed IDOT routes; marked shared lanes were proposed for lower-speed residential streets to link neighborhoods to parks and schools.

Sweeney described a prioritization and phasing approach that scores corridors on connectivity, safety, walkability, feasibility and community input. Tier-one items are lower-cost and quicker to implement (for example, marked shared lanes using pavement markings), while tiers two and three would require more coordination or grant funding. The plan includes estimated costs, suggested jurisdictional responsibilities and recommendations for phased implementation.

On the complete streets policy, Sweeney said the draft commits the village to consider all roadway users in transportation projects, defines limited exceptions, and includes a draft checklist intended for coordination with developers and other agencies.

Trustees and staff asked questions during the public Q&A. A trustee noted that state law still allows bicycles to use roadways and asked whether the plan changes that; the presenter confirmed existing traffic laws would remain in force. Trustees discussed recent Illinois changes to e-bike rules and asked whether signage should note speed distinctions and regulatory requirements. Several trustees asked whether Bington Avenue repaving could accommodate planned bike-striping—staff said they would review paint placement with the contractor so striping could be integrated without repaving later.

Trustees also urged staff to identify underused lots near trailheads for parking, and raised the possibility of coordinating with Hoffman Estates and Cook County for continuity along Route 72 and for combined grant applications. Trustees asked whether the plan could be incorporated into the village’s project checklist or standard operating procedure so future projects routinely consider the recommendations.

The draft plan and the complete streets policy are available on the project website; staff said next steps include refining phasing with village departments and seeking funding opportunities. Board members expressed appreciation for public engagement and asked staff to follow up on implementation coordination with contractors and neighboring jurisdictions.