Background

In October 2023, the Village Board executed a Professional Services Agreement with HR Green, Inc. for Phase I Preliminary Engineering for the Spring South Road Reconstruction Project from Irving Park Road (IL-19) to Wise Road. In April 2024, the village executed an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Schaumburg Township Road District for cost participation in Phase I. Since that time, staff has been coordinating project improvements with the Schaumburg Township Road District and working with the consultant to collect project data, complete traffic counts, review cross section alternatives, and hold a public meeting to obtain resident feedback. Staff has also met with stakeholders such as representatives of the Masjid Al Huda Midwest Islamic Center to discuss vehicular circulation and parking capacity on Spring South Road during peak times.

At the south end of the project limits near the intersection with Irving Park Road, Spring South Road provides two through lanes in each direction separated by a flush median. At the intersection with Irving Park Road, there are dedicated left and right turn lanes for southbound traffic with a raised median. North of Irving Park Road, Spring South Road transitions to a three-lane cross section with dedicated left turn lanes or a striped median depending on location. At Wise Road, Spring South Road transitions to two northbound lanes with a dedicated left turn lane and a single southbound lane. An 8-foot-wide multi-use path is located on the west side of the street. On-street parking is currently permitted along most of the roadway. 

Proposed Improvements

Complete reconstruction of Spring South Road is proposed within the project limits along with maintaining one travel lane in each direction. Improvements to vehicular circulation are proposed by converting the existing concrete median to a two-way left turn lane, thus maximizing access for residents on Spring South Road. Bicycle and pedestrian improvements include widening the existing multi-use path to 10-feet, installing 5-foot sidewalk on the east side of the street, upgrading all facilities to meet ADA standards, establishing mid-block crossings at Crest Avenue and Valley View Drive, as well as improving pedestrian lighting. 

Public Information Meeting

On November 14, 2024, a public information meeting was held to present the proposed corridor improvements and obtain public feedback. Letters notifying property owners of the project and the public information meeting were mailed to 32 property owners on or adjacent to the Spring South Road corridor. A project website was developed to provide accessible information to complement the public information meeting. Property owners were also able to provide comments through the project website or by emailing staff directly.

Attendance at the public information meeting included residents representing fourteen properties along the Spring South Road corridor as well as representatives from the Masjid Al Huda Midwest Islamic Center. The composition of the attendees included residents from both within incorporated Schaumburg and unincorporated areas. The village received a total of fourteen comments, all of which were generally in support of the project. Some of the comments received also included concerns related to tree removal, stop control, and pedestrian route connections. Staff has prepared the following responses to address these comments:

• Tree Removal: Staff received feedback that the construction of the proposed sidewalk on the east side would remove parkway trees. The village's commitment to multi-modal connectivity aligns with the principles of the Complete Streets policy by exploring opportunities to enhance the use of village roadways and public rights-of-way while prioritizing safety improvements throughout the community. Staff has minimized the impacts to the parkway trees as much as possible to provide sidewalk connectivity on the east side of the street.
• Stop Signs: Five respondents referenced concerns about speeding motorists and requests for stop signs to remedy poor driver behavior. The project team collected the available traffic and crash data for the project, and the intersections along the Spring South Road corridor do not meet the published warrants for the installation of all-way stop signs. Staff has committed to coordinate with the Police Department to enforce the posted speed limit along Spring South Road. Staff has committed to coordinate with the Police Department to enforce the posted speed limit along Spring South Road.
• Pedestrian Connection and Crossing at Wise Road: Four comments expressed concerns referring to the proposed sidewalk design ending prior to the intersection with Wise Road. All quadrants of the intersection at Spring South Road and Wise Road have been developed with sidewalk and ramps apart from the southeast corner. There are utility conflicts including traffic signal and streetlighting equipment that will need to be addressed. The right-of-way is also limited in the southeast quadrant, and property acquisition will need to take place prior to making this pedestrian connection at Wise Road.  This project has been designed to be compliant with future pedestrian connections on Wise Road, and two signed crosswalks are proposed to facilitate pedestrian crossings south of Wise Road. Future coordination is needed with Cook County for development and right-of-way acquisition for the southeast quadrant of the intersection.  In Phase II Final Design, staff will explore the feasibility of designing the sidewalk termini short of the intersection with Wise Road at Valley View Drive to ensure pedestrians are not stranded without a designated path to cross the street. 
• Pedestrian Connection and Crossing at Irving Park Road: Staff received feedback regarding the proposed sidewalk design ending prior to the intersection with Irving Park Road. Sidewalk infrastructure along Irving Park Road does not currently exist, and all quadrants of the intersection at Spring South Road and Irving Park have been developed with multiuse path and ramps apart from the northeast and southeast corners. There are conflicts with utilities including streetlights and stormwater drainage that will need to be addressed. The southern limit of the sidewalk was selected to terminate at the driveway of the home north of the Islamic Center. This home is owned by the Islamic Center and patrons can use the private sidewalk connection from the driveway to the parking for pedestrian access. This project has been designed to be compliant with future pedestrian connections on Irving Park Road, and two signed crosswalks are proposed to facilitate pedestrian crossings north of Irving Park Road. Future coordination is needed with the Illinois Department of Transportation for the development of the northeast quadrant of the intersection.

Next Steps

Upon completion of preliminary design, staff will submit a Project Development Report (PDR) to the Illinois Department of Transportation for design approval and will then advance the project into Phase II Final Design Engineering. Staff will also continue to seek grant funding for the reconstruction of Spring South Road.

Staff recommends proceeding with the proposed improvements as a part of Phase I Preliminary Engineering for the Spring South Road Reconstruction Project from Irving Park Road to Wise Road.