Longmeadow Parkway Protesters to Gather Saturday

ALGONQUIN, IL - Protesters opposed to Longmeadow Parkway construction project will again be out this Saturday.

The group, which had nearly 100 stop out during a similar event last Saturday, will again meet from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. near Longmeadow Parkway and Barrett Drive in Algonquin, said Rose Zaffina, who was among those at the rally last week.

Those opposed to the Longmeadow Parkway construction project say the four-lane, 5.6-mile roadway and toll bridge "will destroy public lands" and will damage the "safety and peace of many neighborhoods," according to the Stop Longmeadow Parkway GoFundMe page.

Zaffina said the protest began organically after hundreds of comments were posted by area residents on the website, NextDoor.com, about downed trees, removal of light posts and general unsafe conditions along the road.

"Some candidates on the upcoming ballot (who are neighbors on the site) chimed in and a protest was born," Zaffina wrote in an e-mail to Patch.

"It seemed that the original intention was simply to express ongoing opposition to the project and their concerns about the safety of residents who live so close to the road (many homes are within 50 feet)," Zaffina said. "It then grew into an opportunity to meet candidates to discuss concerns about the project, neighborhood safety and options still on the table."

The Federal Highway Administration in recent months ruled the Longmeadow Parkway project would have "no significant impact" on the environment, which allowed local transportation officials to move forward with the long-planned project. The Stop Longmeadow Toll Bridge Group wants to "challenge that ruling in federal court," according to the group's GoFundMe page. They claim bald eagle, heron, and numerous other species habitat will be ruined by the construction project.

The 5.6-mile, four-lane roadway runs from Huntley Road to Route 62 in Barrington Hills and would include a bridge over the Fox River. The thoroughfare passes through portions of the villages of Algonquin, Carpentersville and Barrington Hills, as well as unincorporated areas of Kane County.

Starting on Feb. 13, right of way preparation began on the roadway, which included tree removal, from just west of Randall Road to Karen Drive near Algonquin. That work was anticipated to last four weeks and could close a lane of traffic at times.

Protests will be held on March 18 and every Saturday up until the April 4 election, according to Zaffina. All of the protests will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. near Longmeadow Parkway and Barrett Drive in Algonquin.

MORE ON PATCH

• Longmeadow Parkway Will Have 'No Significant Impact' on Environment
  
• Residents Oppose Longmeadow Parkway; Algonquin Officials Stand Behind Project
  
• Algonquin Village Board President: Longmeadow Parkway Referendum Was Purposefully Confusing, Leading
• Officials Laud Longmeadow Parkway at Groundbreaking Ceremony

Photo via the Stop Longmeadow Parkway GoFundMe page