Resident Stands Between Bridge Connecting Bolingbrook, Naperville

The future is uncertain for an area of land between the ends of 95^th Street in Naperville and Kings Road in Bolingbrook. 

Bolingbrook and Naperville officials plan to build a bridge that would connect the two roads, which would alleviate traffic flow in the area.

But the bridge could be crossing a historically significant parcel of land, Bolingbrook resident David Bond says. Bond has nominated the area to be named a landmark to preserve it from construction in October.

“At the very least, what I’ve done is force the county to stop and look at it and force a say from the public,” he said. “It should be preserved  because it’s not just a historic spot, it’s a beautiful spot too.”

According to the Will County Highway Department’s George Catalano, the extension has been planned for years. And because of the historical concern, the village evaluated the site’s significance years ago and found no substantial artifacts.

The area of land is part of the DuPage River Confluence Preserve and was acquired as part of the 1989 Acquisition Plan, said Marcy DeMauro, executive director of the Forest Preserve District of Will County.

According to Bond’s nomination, the Boughton family, which later lent their name to the village's most-trafficked road, owned the site for three generations, starting in 1842. 

The nomination also says undisturbed archaeological deposits are “extremely rare” in northeastern Illinois and the site should be avoided.

And even though the extension would cross the narrowest portion of the property, Bond is working to protect its history and beauty.

“When you go to that spot, it’s beautiful and it’s meaningful,” he said. “It’s just too good to spoil. History is important to me because it’s who we are and it’s where we came from.”

Bond says building a bridge would damage history and hurt the area's property owners. Sound pollution from traffic and the proximity of the road to some back yards could also pose hazards for residents and children.

Village officials conducted surveys on whether residents wanted a sound wall built between the road and the homes, said Jackie Traynere, a Forest Preserve District board member. Traynere said few residents responded and the sound wall will not be built. 

Traynere said although the land may be historically significant, the plans for the road began before homes were built. She said her initial reaction was to preserve the land but her position changed after researching the plan.

“I was assured by the Forest Preserve that if there were any artifacts or anything in the area, they would be preserved,” she said. “My understanding was that the areas where the road was going to go weren’t as significant as the other forest preserve properties there.”

Bond said he realizes there are other historically significant sites in the park, but believes the site targeted for construction is still important.

Preservation of the site may not be easy.

According to Traynere, the Forest Preserve can only help the sites that can be of use, such as the Riverview Farms Homestead, which is now used as a farmers market. On the other hand, the site at Knoch Knolls is uninhabited and unused.

“The Forest Preserve isn’t necessarily about preserving, unless it makes sense with their program usage,” she said. “I’m a big supporter of open space and having access to beautiful areas but I don’t know if there’s going to be a compromise from this.”

Catalano said the extension should be ready for traffic by late 2013.

A public hearing will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Will County Forest Preserve District to discuss the issue.

“When we have a unique opportunity to save or to preserve a glimpse back at history, we should do that every opportunity that we get,” he said. “If somebody never stops to say something then we have no history; we have no past.”