Little Bridges

Motorists driving through scenic Long Grove this holiday season may need to remember that their seat cushions are also flotation devices. The covered bridge there on Robert Parker Coffin Rd may be falling down. According to the News-Sun, the bridge ...

will be in need of repair soon, and village officials say they no longer have the money to cover even routine maintenance.
Long Grove's iconic covered bridge needs repairs

Your LakeCountyEye has been told that no one at the Lake County Department of Transportation looks forward to the prospect of vehicles plummeting to their fiery demise into the 1000 ft sheer-drop crevice beneath the bridge. However, it still remains a favorite destination for wireless device users, as the bridge provides cover to anyone who likes to text while driving and without being distracted by law enforcement officials.

It has been proposed that the life of the crumbling structure can be extended by building a roundabout at the intersection of Rbt Parker Coffin and Old McHenry Road. Drivers who do not avoid these confounding traffic circles altogether, are projected, after a couple of go-arounds, to succumb to frustration and end up eventually in neighboring Buffalo Grove. It is estimated this will reduce traffic over the covered bridge by up to a factor of 100%.

The Village of Long Grove may simply want someone else to pay for their bridge repair and is blaming another road project, the Route 53 Extension. Long Grove Mayor, Maria Rodriguez, campaigned unsuccessfully in the 2010 Eighth Congressional District Republican primary, in part on a platform to build the Route 53 Extension. However in 2013 she would face re-election in decidedly anti-Route-53-centric Long Grove. As reported in the News-Sun, Rodriguez is now saying that Long Grove is having difficulty paying for existing infrastructure problems, like ...

stormwater runoff, which will likely worsen if the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority succeeds in extending Route 53 next to Long Grove. "(Route) 53 is going to compound that by a thousandfold," she said. Rodriguez is a member of both the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and the tollway's 53 Advisory Committee.
Long Grove's iconic covered bridge needs repairs

Your LakeCountyEye has learned that there is a compromise plan being discussed. The Route 53 extension would be built along Robert Coffin Parker Road. And a toll-plaza would be constructed over the covered bridge. It is projected that the covered bridge would pay for itself within less than fifty years. Seems like an out-and-out win-win to your LakeCountyEye!

Flip Flop in the 8th Republican Primary

The Eye's gaze fell upon the an article in today's Herald where 8th District hopeful Republican Long Grove Mayor Maria Rodriquez suddenly discovered the "53" Kool-aid and supports it. Although a few months ago she was "adamantly opposed" to extending Route 53.

Long Grove and Kildeer have been the main obstacles to Route 53, along with former State Senator Bill Peterson who lived steps from the proposed alignment and steps from Maria's mansion as well.

Now after seeing the results of the countywide referendum on the 53 bypass where 95% of all precincts in the county voted yes (except for the ones in Long Grove and oddly one in Shields township along the lakefront), Maria realizes that she needs to change her tune. I am sure her polling told her the same thing as well.

It also amuses us that the change of position (i.e. Flip Flop) comes a few days before Christmas on a Friday, the classic news dump hoping you, the newspapers and opponents did not notice.

The Eye realizes that politics trumps principle these days and we applaud Maria for finally seeing the route 53 light. However one can only guess how the "I was against it before I was for it" attitude will play out with the voters.