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Because the recommended
alternative for the Access Highland Project was not approved by
the FHWA and due to lack of public support for other alternative
improvements presented to the public as part of the
engineering and environmental study,
this study and the Access Highland Project has been suspended by
the department.
The
first stage for this project began at first contact with the
community and stakeholders on the project to study access
changes from the Highland region to Interstate 70. The Access
Highland study corridor along I-70 began to the west at the IL
Route 143 interchange and extended to the east to the IL Route
143/US 40 interchange. Phase I would have consisted of a 3-4
year period of data collection, community involvement,
environmental review, traffic projections and engineering
analysis of several feasible alternatives to improve access to
I-70. An Access Justification Report was submitted to the
Federal Highway Administration within the first 2 years of the
project. A Project Report would have followed at the end of
Phase I had the Access Justification Report been approved. Had a
preferred alternative had been approved; IDOT and its
engineering consultants would have prepared contract plans for
construction and began the land acquisition process during Phase
II.
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