I was consulting for the Kankakee Metropolitan Planning Organization. Our plan had long called for an additional crossing of the Kankakee River.
The Perry Farm was donated by Mrs. Perry to the State of Illinois. The State was going to give it to a local government. This led to the voters creating two governments - a Forest Preserve District and a Park District. The two governments were competing for the land. I consulted for the Forest Preserve District and prepared a plan for the use of the property. We could kill two birds with one stone, providing access with an attractive parkway through the park while providing a much needed additional River crossing.
But as you can see from the cartoon, there was substantial opposition, mostly from pro park and anti road people. So the Perry Farm is now a nice park and Kankakee is without the additional River crossing, with the attendant longer driving times, gasoline consumption, and air pollution attendant to the long drive to the existing crossing.
Oh, well. You don't win them all. In fact, you lose many for every few that succeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment