News

Road Project Runs Into
Cook County’s Oldest Preserve

A proposal to widen a one-mile stretch of Quentin Road as it cuts through the Chicago area’s oldest forest preserve is gaining attention in Cook County.

From its first acquisition in 1916, Deer Grove Forest Preserve near Palatine has grown into a beloved 1,800-acre haven that features an oak forest, rolling topography, and picturesque creeks. But now, according to Pete Jackson, a volunteer steward at the site, a proposed county road project designed to reduce traffic congestion is threatening to destroy trees and wetlands, pollute Salt Creek, and cause mortality for a suite of amphibians and reptiles that includes the rare Blanding’s turtle.

The project calls for widening the road from two lanes to four, building a new bridge across Salt Creek, and adding an underpass for pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian traffic as well as a bike trail along the road. The total cost is estimated at $7.5 million, with $3 million sought from federal funds.

Benjamin Cox, executive director of Friends of the Forest Preserves, says several modifications would reduce impacts to the preserve while still meeting project goals. His recommendations include building the trail on the other side of the road, building an overpass rather than an underpass, and using curbs and gutters or structures such as culverts, so reptiles and amphibians can safely cross the road. To date, the Highway Department has proposed no alternatives to its plan.

Cook County commissioners have given the plan preliminary approval, and are required to review and vote on it again. Commissioner Mike Quigley, who led opposition to the project, said, “This is an example of how the board is conflicted in its roles as county commissioners and forest preserve commissioners.” In Cook County, as in Lake, the same individuals serve on both boards.

— Barbara Hill