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East Side Corridor
Transportation Facility
Feasibility Study

Project Overview

East Side Corridor Feasibility Study
Purpose, Issues, Schedule, and Project Goals
New Route east of Bloomington-Normal from I-74 near Downs to I-55 near Towanda

Study Purpose

The East Side Corridor Feasibility Study is a cooperative effort by Bloomington, Downs, Normal, Towanda, McLean County and Illinois Department of Transportation, administered by the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization. The purpose of the study is to determine the need and feasibility of a new East Side Transportation Facility. The study area is about fifteen miles long from I-74 near Downs to I-55 near Towanda and about three miles wide extending eastward from Towanda-Barnes Road (County Highway 29) to west of Illinois 165. Items involved with this study include:

Examining existing and future transportation conditions taking into consideration adopted future land use plans and programmed roadway improvements;

Discussing project needs and issues with public officials, government agencies and other groups with a special interest in the project;

Identifying the purpose and need (goals) for the project;

Identifying and evaluating alternative improvements relative to project goals, transportation considerations, environmental considerations, project costs and community considerations and comments;

Recommending a preferred course of action for project implementation; and

Listening to and sharing information with the public.

Issues

In 1994, the Long Range Transportation Plan for the Bloomington-Normal Urbanized Area recommended:

Improving Towanda-Barnes Road to accommodate future development on the east side of Bloomington and Normal, and

Examining a parallel freeway or expressway between I-74 and I-55 to move traffic efficiently into the east side development areas as well as provide for traffic movement around the east side of the urban area.

These recommendations were carried forward into the McLean County Regional Comprehensive Plan (August, 2000) and the 2025 Long Range Transportation Plan (September, 1999) that called for the examination of an eastside bypass freeway as well as the improvement of Towanda-Barnes Road. Towanda-Barnes Road is currently being improved as a five-lane facility from US 150 to Fort Jesse Road, and the McLean County Highway Department is considering the extension of the improvement northward from Fort Jesse Road toward Towanda.

In the year 2025, serious transportation congestion problems will exist on the east side of Bloomington-Normal despite the programmed improvement to Towanda-Barnes Road, the widening of I-55/74 to six lanes around the west side of Bloomington-Normal and the widening of Veterans Parkway (Business I-55) to six lanes from the Conrail/Norfolk & Southern Railway around the east side of Bloomington-Normal to I-55. In fact, Veterans Parkway will be at or over capacity from Main Street (US 51) to Ireland Grove Road and from Oakland Avenue to I-55. The new State Farm Campus on the east side of Veterans Parkway at Ireland Grove Road presently contains nearly 10,000 employees, and may grow to nearly 18,000 employees over the next 25 years. The Central Illinois Regional Airport opened their new passenger terminal late last year on Empire Street (Illinois 9) in the vicinity of Towanda-Barnes Road. Finally, over the past decade rapid residential and associated commercial development has occurred between Veterans Parkway and Towanda-Barnes Road, and is anticipated to begin spilling over Towanda-Barnes Road before the year 2025. In conclusion, while the major capital investment in Towanda-Barnes Road clearly serves development on the east side of Bloomington-Normal, it is not sufficient to accommodate future transportation needs on the east-side of Bloomington-Normal even with other programmed transportation investments.

Project Schedule

At the present time, only this feasibility study of the East Side Transportation Facility is funded. Depending upon the outcome of this study, preliminary engineering and environmental studies will continue to develop this major roadway investment, if funded. The typical time line for the completion of a major transportation improvement is seven to ten years assuming the project is fully funded through design, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation and roadway construction.

Draft Statement of Project Goals

The project goals are:

Provide improved access to major employment activity centers and major inter-modal transportation facilities (such as the Central Illinois Regional Airport).

Enhance overall transportation system connectivity and continuity for the Bloomington-Normal Urbanized Area, as well as interurban connectivity.

Provide for traffic movement around the east side of the Bloomington-Normal Urbanized Area.

Move traffic efficiently into the east side development areas.

Strengthen the transportation network in McLean County by providing an acceptable capacity to meet forecasted travel demand.

Contacts

Address written comments to:

Jennifer Sicks, Transportation Planner

McLean County Regional Planning Commission

211 West Jefferson Street

Bloomington, IL 61701

Or you may E-mail your comments to: jsicks@mcplan.org