Consultants Planning Olympian Drive Extension Hold Final Roundtable for Elected Officials

The last in a series of roundtable discussions on an extension of Olympian Drive looked at design options for one day linking the road with US 45 north of Urbana.

But last night's discussion among elected officials from Champaign County, Urbana, and Champaign also produced frustration with the way the forum was conducted, and the lack of cost estimates. The final roundtable discussion held by consultants was described as a private meeting with a public audience. Democratic County Board member Barb Wysocki says she's frustrated that very differing opinions on what should occur with the extension are being 'squashed.' And Wysocki said last night she was disappointed the consultants hadn't read the visioning document for Champaign County called Big-Small-All, a process she helped create. "Those who stuck with the process gave very good input," said Wysocki. "And they were thoughtul, they weighed matters, they were very careful about how they come up with goals and objectives. And for them to admit that they (consultants with Vector Communications) hadn't read it or even heard of it until this (Thursday) afternoon, to me it's unthinkable."

Champaign city council member Deb Frank Feinen, a Republican, agrees the public are being left out of this process, and wants citizens to weigh in on some of the design options. "There may be pieces of this that could qualify for special funding," said Feinen. "I mean, maybe the biker pedestrian or wetlands would qualify for funding we haven't even begun to think about yet. But we have to know that we want that included in the plan in order to go seek that funding."

The $27-point-5 million extension of Olympian Drive could be done in phases, starting with a stretch from Apollo Drive to Lincoln Avenue. But Democratic Champaign County board member Alan Kurtz contends funding for the full extension would run around $35-million. He says the county has better uses for its motor fuel tax money, including road and bridge repairs. Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing says the Olympian Drive project was always meant to be done in phases. "We have enough funding to do this project if you look at it as taking place over time," said Prussing. "We have money coming in every year to the county, they get $3 million in motor fuel tax funds, and can allocate about a third of that to fringe roads, which this would qualify for. And I think we should be asking our Congressman for federal money for Lincoln Avenue."

Prussing says the logical way of doing this project would be to extend Apollo Drive in Champaign to Lincoln Avenue in Urbana, extend Lincoln out to 45, then finish up the west end of the project, extending to I-57. The extension would also rely on Illinois Capital bill funds, and request from the upcoming federal transportation bill. Consultants expect to hold another meeting on August 25th to begin forming a consensus.