Illinois Tollway OKs Study on 53/120 Extension

The much anticipated, long debated proposed IL 53/120 Extension received a boost in late February when the Illinois Tollway assigned a $4 million contract to TranSystems Corp.to study the route and determine environmental, financial, engineering and cost feasibility for the massive project.

The project, expected to cost more than $2 billion, will extend Illinois Route 53 north into Long Grove up to Grayslake as a 45 mph, tolled parkway. The engineering process is expected to take 18 months and will begin in mid 2013.

Experts of a prior study determined that a proposed IL 53/120 Extension woud require hundreds of millions of dollars in land acquisition.

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