Words Of Wisdom

"At the establishment of our constitutions, the judiciary bodies were supposed to be the most helpless and harmless members of the government. Experience, however, soon showed in what way they were to become the most dangerous; that the insufficiency of the means provided for their removal gave them a freehold and irresponsibility in office; that their decisions, seeming to concern individual suitors only, pass silent and unheeded by the public at large; that these decisions, nevertheless, become law by precedent, sapping, by little and little, the foundations of the constitution, and working its change by construction, before any one has perceived that that invisible and helpless worm has been busily employed in consuming its substance. In truth, man is not made to be trusted for life, if secured against all liability to account."

--Thomas Jefferson, letter to Monsieur A. Coray, 1823

First Park And Ride Lot Opening-Route 31 and Virginia Road

McHenry County is announcing the opening of the area’s first formal Park and Ride lot in Lake in the Hills at the corner of Illinois Route 31 and Virginia Road.  The purpose of the 105 space parking lot is to offer area residents a place where they can meet up with other people who want to car pool to areas such as the major employment centers in places like Schaumburg and Chicago.  For years, areas residents have been using roadsides and shopping center parking lots to fulfill this need.  This parking lot offers a convenient, secure, lighted location to leave vehicles while people are car pooling. 

The park and ride lot also offers a bike rack to accommodate those users who may want to access the park and ride lot via the shared-use path which is planned to connect the Prairie Trail parking lot near the Village of Algonquin Public Works facility to the existing shared use-path in front of the Crystal Lake Wal-Mart at Illinois Route 31 and Rakow Road.  By encouraging car pooling, we can help ease congestion on our area roadways by getting more vehicles off of the road, which in turn helps improve air quality. 

The design and construction of park and ride lot was made possible by federal funds secured in partnership with McHenry County, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Illinois Department of Transportation. These funds paid for 100% of the design and construction costs for the park and ride lot.  For more information, please contact Wally Dittrich at 815-334-4980.

Johnsburg Road Reopened To Two-way Traffic Between Route 31 and Chapel Hill

The McHenry County Division of Transportation has reopened Johnsburg Road to two-way traffic between Illinois Route 31 and Chapel Hill Road.  Construction along Johnsburg Road is anticipated to continue through November.  Installation of new traffic signals at the Riverside Drive and Spring Grove Road intersections are ongoing.  Motorist should expect periodic daytime lanes closures and proceed through the construction zone with caution.

To learn more about the construction of this project, ask questions, and follow the progress of the project, visit the project website at www.johnsburgroad.com where you can sign up for email updates.  You can also connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Johnsburg-Road-Improvements/318077941578141 or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JohnsburgRoad.  Please call Mike Hastings, Construction Engineer at 815-509-4454 for additional information regarding this release.