Outspoken residents may have effected change for Northfield’s Happ Road

An overflow crowd packed Northfield Village Hall Wednesday evening, with dozens of residents publicly sharing their opposition to the proposed Happ Road project, specifically criticizing a planned roundabout and street widening.

The opposition at the Sept. 11 special Committee of the Whole meeting may have set change in motion.

The long-anticipated Happ Road project includes a proposal to add a roundabout to the intersection of Happ and Orchard Lane. Criticism of the roundabout has grown in recent months, with opponents questioning the need for the feature and the removal of more than 20 nearby parking spaces in order for it to be built.

About three hours into the nearly four-hour meeting, which was dedicated solely to the Happ Road project, Village Manager Patrick Brennan polled the audience.

After a show of hands revealed most in the audience were opposed to both the roundabout and a proposed center turn lane on Happ Road, Brennan made an offer to the Village Board.

“With the board’s indulgence, I’d like to take some time to work with Tara (Orbon, with Cook County) and Jerrod (Cebulski, with Patrick Engineering) and see if we can come up with some options for you that may adjust the current proposal, and then tell you what the impacts of those adjustments would be,” he said.

The vocal opposition to the project prompted him to speak up.

“From my perspective, the message has been received that there’s some strong concerns out there,” Brennan said. “And I’d like to do some research and then announce a meeting again and get the information out and then report back to you with your permission.”

Trustees offered no objection to Brennan’s offer.

“I think it’s fair to the board (and) I think it’s fair to the community,” Trustee Tom Whittaker said.

Brennan said he does not anticipate having an update at the board’s next Committee of the Whole and regular meetings on Sept. 17, but suggested having another special Committee of the Whole meeting in early October.

Project background

The primary purpose of Wednesday’s special meeting was to present a history of the Happ Road project, to answer why a roundabout was selected for the plans, and for the audience to ask questions to representatives who helped develop the plans.

Cebulski, project manager with Patrick Engineering, said the first time a potential roundabout came up was back in 2006, when the Village conducted a Walkability Workshop. At the time, according to Cebulski, participants supported studying a roundabout for many reasons, including “(increasing) pedestrian and cyclist safety through the intersection. It also would serve to anchor the Village Hall square as an overall civic center in the community.”

When Phase 1 of the Happ Road project began in 2016, Cebulski said a steering committee was formed, which included the Village president, a trustee, representatives from Village commissions, Village Center business and property owners, and others. He said five steering committee meetings were held, in addition to public meetings in 2017 and 2020.

A five-legged roundabout was selected because it fulfilled six goals established by the steering committee: improving safety for all Happ Road users; simplifying vehicular movements; minimizing vehicular points of conflict; increasing awareness of pedestrians by vehicles; enhancing bicyclist accommodations; and creating a central place that supports local businesses, community gathering and walkability.

Other proposed ideas were rejected for various reasons, according to Cebulski. These included keeping the intersection as-is, installing a traffic light or four-way stop, and building a four-legged roundabout that would cut off access to Walnut Lane.

He said a roundabout would help with speeding and safety.

“(In) roundabouts, you will lower the speed by about 15-20 miles per hour. The current speed is 35 miles per hour,” Cebulski said. “Roundabouts force all traffic to come down to 20-25 miles per hour.”

Trustees and residents question representatives

Both Cebulski and Orbon, assistant superintendent of the county’s Department of Transportation and Highways, faced questions from both trustees and members of the public.

Whittaker asked if it’s too late to make any changes to the proposed plans.

Cebulski said changes could be done, but the Illinois Department of Transportation would need to get involved.

“If we could look at changes and we decide to pursue a different route, we would need to go back to IDOT and reopen the Phase 1 portion with them,” he said. “Aside from that taking the time and additional effort to look at and coordinate, that could be something we could be looking at.”

Trustee Tracey Mendrek asked what would happen if the Village changed its mind and decided it no longer wanted to build a roundabout.

“We sort of have the gold standard here,” she said, referring to the plans. “What’s the standard on the other side if the whole thing gets pulled?”

Orbon said IDOT would question what changed, since she said the process has been transparent.

“The goal is for everyone to understand the purpose and need of the project, the goals and objectives, to understand why the decision was made,” she said, later adding, “There is a prescribed process that has to be followed, so that would mean that we would have to revisit and reopen our preliminary studies, so that does take time and more work to do.”

Nearly 20 residents questioned Cebulski and Orbon on many issues, ranging from accident data that was used to justify the roundabout to the land acquisition process to other speed-control options, such as lowered speed limits and speed bumps.

Pam Papadatos, owner of Metamorphosis Spa, asked Cebulski about the loss of parking spaces. She said if she loses parking in front of her business, 1757 Orchard Lane, she may be forced to close because the spaces are convenient for her customers.

“Has the plan changed from the original where you realized you needed to take more parking?” Papadatos asked. “Because that was not communicated to me until very recently when I went and asked for the parking reduction summary.”

Cebulski said the public presentations have always shown a loss of about 20 parking spaces, and it has been that way since the middle of Phase 1, which was from 2016 to 2021.

“Really the only way to not impact so much parking would be to probably … not have Walnut intersect to the roundabout,” he said.

Alicia Bellar presented a petition to the Village Board signed by more than 100 residents.

The petition asks the Village Board and Cook County to “pause any and all work related to the existing plan, conduct a new analysis of what the corridor needs and what residents and businesses want,” Bellar said. “(And) using that input, develop a new plan that would be put to a referendum.”