The Village of Palatine to cut over 30 large trees along Palatine Road!
See the Video: Trees
PROGRESS?
In the interest of “Progress”, The Village of Palatine is making improvements to a short leg of Palatine Road. The Railroad crossing is being improved (but we will still have to wait for trains), there will be more turn lanes, (but we will have to wait for a break in the traffic from 2 oncoming lanes now), and just West of Bothwell Street, the 2 westbound lanes will funnel into 1 lane. Ugh!
Out of fairness, some improvements to the Plum Grove Road intersection are welcome, but at what cost? Also out of fairness, many of the dollars spent are provided by federal funds. Hmmmm…..but any way you slice it…the taxpayer is paying.
So, let’s see what the effect will be……we will move Westbound Traffic in rush hour a little more quickly between Northwest Highway and Bothwell Street. I don’t see any study that claims that a substantial number of cars will be encouraged to turn-off before the lanes are restricted. Then all heck breaks loose when all of that westbound traffic has to merge into only one lane near Smith Street.
The Historic Masonic hall had to be destroyed, other businesses will be inconvenienced by having the highway so close to their front doors….the VFW, and many more businesses are giving up the grassy easement or much of it to pavement.
Now the real sin…….at least 30-40 trees…..OLD trees….beautiful trees will be cut down along Palatine Road. Gone will be the Canopy of Green that we drive through every day. Sure they will replace some of the trees with thumb size saplings, many of which will die in the first salty winter….only to be replaced with more immature trees. Gone will be the hardwood trees…replaced by easy to grow alternatives.
This will likely affect real estate values.
Personally, I do like many of the recent changes to the look of “Downtown” Palatine….the beautiful train station, other new buildings, new condo’s, the stately row houses along Smith Street. But I really hate losing all of the “Green”.
Overall, I don’t see much change in the traffic along Palatine Road…..Let’s not make any further improvements like this to the beautiful Palatine Road corridor from Smith – West to Barrington Road.
Traffic takes the “path of least resistance”. If we stop improving the beautiful Palatine Road corridore, drivers will be more likely to take the other 4 lane alternatives: Rt 68, Rt 62, Northwest Highway and Lake Cook roads.
There you have it….just my opinion. What is yours? Let us know!
For more details of the construction changes, just click this link: Treeless Road Improvements