US 30 Environmental Impact Statement and Phase I Design Report

Why is this study needed?

It is necessary to improve the transportation system within Whiteside County on US 30 from east of Fulton to west of Rock Falls to address safety and mobility issues that currently exist and will only get worse as time goes on. This study will evaluate many types of roadway alternatives and will be balanced with the input of the farmers, residents, business owners, and users (stakeholders) of the route. Some of the positive feedback received to date include: residents are pleased with IDOT’s goal to improve safety and mobility and businesses see roadway improvements having a positive impact on the region’s economic vitality. Additionally, some of the concerns raised to date include: impacts to farms, businesses, residences, environmentally sensitive areas, and impacts to the three urbanized areas along the project route.

In order to identify what the public consider as key transportation issues associated with US 30 in Whiteside County, one of the Community Advisory Group's (CAG) first tasks was to develop a Problem Statement. A Problem Statement is a concise narrative prepared at the start of a project in order to identify transportation and infrastructure problems in the area. The CAG members developed the following Problem Statement:

“The problem with US 30 in Whiteside County from Fulton to Rock Falls is increasing traffic volume and congestion which overloads the area-wide traffic system, compromises safety, mobility and reduces the quality of life of the adjacent communities. There is a need for improved economic development and accessibility to the region while preserving agricultural and environmentally significant areas."
 

U.S. Route 30 Project Study Area Map

Current Photos