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The Impact of Highway Bypasses

Western Illinois Regional Council

Highway bypasses have been built around some western Illinois communities and more are coming. A grant from IDOT will allow the Western Illinois Regional Council to study the impact of those bypasses.

The study will involve Carthage, Colchester, and Roseville, which already have bypasses; as well as Biggsville and Farmington, where bypasses are proposed.

One of the main concerns they were having was signage out on the highway for businesses and tourist sites... wasn%u2019t present there.

WIRC Principle Planner Nathan Cobb said the agency chose to study one community each from five counties. He wanted to hear directly from residents and business owners through a series of community forums.

“To try to provide some lessons that Carthage, Colchester, and Roseville have had in dealing with a bypass and the effects of it, and take that over to the other two communities that are proposed for future bypasses,” Cobb said.

Among other things, he would like to know what community members thought of the bypass before it was built and what they think of it now that it’s in place.

Cobb said the next meeting will be held Monday, May 13, 6:30 pm, in the Community Room at Colchester City Hall. He hoped to schedule another meeting for later in the month in Roseville.

He said a meeting was held in Carthage a couple weeks ago and action is already being taken as a result of what planners heard.

“One of the main concerns they were having was signage out on the highway for businesses and tourist sites. It (the signage) wasn’t present there,” Cobb said.

“Since then we’ve been able to work out where they’re going to get some new signage provided by IDOT. That was one of the main problems – (the lack of) the little blues signs saying ‘Gas, Food, Lodging.’”

Meetings could be scheduled for June in Biggsville and Farmington.

Those who cannot attend the meetings can complete an on-line survey. Click here to connect to it.

Cobb hoped to prepare a final report by the end of September.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.