IDOT study seeks input for I-57

Area residents came ready to protest new transportation plans during a public meeting last week, but it turned out there was nothing to challenge. 

The meeting was hosted by the Illinois Department of Transportation to seek public input on solutions to traffic and freight issues on I-57, from Peotone to Monee.

Whatever improvements might be proposed won’t come until 2028. Until then, officials are asking residents to give their own opinions and to share their feedback.

No decisions have been made regarding proposed improvements.

The study area is bounded by Wilmington-Peotone Road (south), Manhattan-Monee Road (north), U.S. Rt. 45 (west), and one mile east of IL 50 (east).

The Villages of Peotone, Monee and University Park are included in the study area.

The meeting was the second in a series planned by IDOT to gather information for its access study of I-57. It was geared to discuss purpose and need for improvements to the interstate highway from south of Wilmington-Peotone Road north to Manhattan-Monee Road.

The first meeting was held last autumn and resulted in a Community Advisory Group (CAG) to  propose access improvements to I-57 to meet future needs.  

Study participants at that time said their priorities included safety (17 percent), traffic congestion (16 percent), truck/freight traffic (13 percent), environmental concerns (11 percent), and agriculture (10 percent).

Public Meeting No. 2 was held on August 26 at the Peotone Fairgrounds Atrium. Two more meetings will take place, one in the summer of 2026 (for alternatives development) and the other in the winter of 2027 (for the preferred alternative). A public hearing will follow in winter or spring of 2028 for discussion of the final proposed alternatives.

The study underway will evaluate existing conditions, define a purpose and need, assess a range of reasonable alternatives, and identify a preferred alternative. The goal is to improve local and regional connectivity and support future traffic demands through enhanced access to I-57.

To date, needs identified include addressing safety issues at existing I-57 interchanges, along with safety issues at the I-57 mainline horizontal curve, and freight-related safety concerns.

At the same time, the study looks to support community travel and access to I-57, provide adequate access for the study area’s commuters, and accommodate freight, industrial, and intermodal growth.

In addition, planners want to reduce traffic delays in the future by improving the I-57-Manhattan-Monee Road interchange and I-57 Wilmington-Road.

Steven Schilke, Bureau Chief of Programming for IDOT, emphasized the improvements to the interchanges will not involve construction to I-57.

“We are looking at improving access to I-57,” he said. “We want to find better ways to get through to I-57.”

In the meantime, Schilke said, residents can help by completing the survey, attending the public meetings, participating in the Community Advisory Group, subscribing to email updates for the latest study news, checking the study website for information and resources, and contacting the planning team with questions and comments.

The survey can be found at Tiny.cc/AccessI57. Planners may be contacted via email at AccessI57Study@gmail.com. Comments also may be mailed to Illinois Department of Transportation, Bureau of Programming, Anna Kutryn, P.E., 201 W. Center Court, Schaumburg, IL 60196.