GALENA BYPASS NEWSLETTERVolume 1 - Spring 2006

Galena Bypass Public Meeting Scheduled

The first of two Public Meetings for the GalenaBypass project is scheduled for

Thursday, May 18, 20061:00pm to 7:00pm

Galena Convention Center900 Galena Square Drive in Galena

The purpose of this Public Informational OpenHouse is to update the public on the status of theproject. This update will include information onthe scope of the current Phase II engineeringwork and the project schedule. Representativesfrom the Illinois

Department of Transportation and Teng &Associates will be present to answer questions fromthe public. Members of the Citizens’ AdvisoryGroup will also be available to discuss theirinvolvement with the project. Exhibits availablefor viewing during the open house will include:

• Aerial Plans showing the proposed freeway alignment

• Displays showing the revised freeway profile

• Freeway typical sections

• Displays showing the Horseshoe Mound Interchange design

• Phase II engineering schedule

Division of Highways / District 2819 Depot Avenue

Dixon, Illinois 61021

Information related to the GalenaBypass project is now available

on the new project website atwww.galena-bypass.com.Information includes a projectoverview and scope, projecttimeline, maps and exhibits, anddetails regarding context sensitivesolutions and public involvementactivities. The website alsoincludes an electronic form tosubmit comments to IDOT.

Galena Bypass Website NowAvailable

The Illinois Department of Transportation hasformed a Citizens’ Advisory Group to allowopportunity for public input on various aestheticissues to be addressed during the design processand to ensure compliance with commitmentsmade during the Phase I engineering study. TheEnvironmental Impact Statement for the GlacierShadow Pass project and its recommendedLonghollow Alignment was granted approval bythe Federal Highway Administration onSeptember 22, 2005. In appreciation of thePhase I Advisory Council members who gavetheir time and energy to accomplish this, theGalena Bypass Citizens’ Advisory Groupadopted the following Mission Statement:

The Citizens’ Advisory Group will work to ensurecompliance with the commitments made by IDOTto construct the Longhollow Alignment, and to

proactively assist IDOT and other stakeholders tomitigate impacts of the new roadway during thedesign and construction phases of the GalenaBypass.

The first meeting to form the group was held onJanuary 12, 2006 with subsequent meetings onFebruary 2, February 7, March 2 and April 4. Thegroup consists of 27 members from Galena andsurrounding communities, and is led by co-facilitators James Boho and Robert Johnson,both of Galena. Issues addressed thus far includerefinements to the freeway profile and designalternatives for the Horseshoe Mound and NorthIL-84 Interchanges. Issues to be addressed in thefuture include lighting, landscaping, forest andprairie mitigation, wildlife issues, bridgeaesthetics and construction impacts.

Galena Bypass Citizens’ Advisory Group Formed

JoDaviess County is an area whose geology ischaracterized by frequent underground sinkholesand cavities. The Phase I engineering study forthe US 20 freeway conducted very preliminarysubsurface investigations and, without thedetailed subsurface information, set the level offreeway at or near the ridge tops to limit deeprock cuts. This resulted in numerous areas of highembankments and required a substantial amountof borrow fill material.

As part of the Phase II engineering, a geologicaland geophysical investigation of the subsurfacewas conducted to identify underground voids orabandoned mines, and to locate the top of thebedrock.

This investigation was supplemented withnumerous soil and rock borings. As a result, theprofile was refined to better balance earthworkand fit within the surrounding topography withoutcompromising roadway safety, operationalcharacteristics or engineering standards. Thefollowing benefits were revealed:

• Construction footprint reduced by approximately 11 acres

• Wooded area removal reduced by approximately 8 acres

• Eliminated need for 3 million cubic yards of borrow material

• Reduced earthwork costs by approximately $20 million

Freeway Profile Refined

Galena Bypass Engineering Funding Approved

Funding has been approved forPhase II engineering of theGalena Bypass, thewesternmost segment of theproposed four-lane freewayfrom Galena to Freeport knownas Glacier Shadow Pass. Thebypass starts northwest ofGalena near the intersection ofIllinois Route 84 with US Route20 that extends west to EastDubuque. From there it headseast, curving around the town ofGalena, spans over the GalenaRiver and the Old StagecoachTrail, and terminates atHorseshoe Mound.

Teng & Associates, Inc. ofChicago will complete thePhase II engineering work andwill coordinate various publicinvolvement activities during thedesign phase including assistingthe newly formed GalenaBypass Citizens’ Advisory Group.

Due to the funding limitations for the entire 47 mile length of the Glacier ShadowPass, the IL-84 South Interchange near the Horseshoe Mound will remain as thesouthern terminus for the Galena Bypass for the foreseeable future. An importantdesign consideration was the handling of large traffic volumes exiting andentering the freeway at the Horseshoe Mound Interchange. Additionalconsiderations included the undulating topography, historic Horseshoe MoundState Natural Area, and nearby wetlands and woodlands.

Several interchange configurations were studied. An interchange type known asa “trumpet” design was selected. This design will afford free-flow traffic for 3 ofthe 4 turning movements, including the high volume movements of westbound IL-84to the northbound bypass, and southbound bypass to eastbound IL-84.

Horseshoe Mound Interchange - Design Finalized