Village Not on Board with Algonquin, Randall Interchange

Randall Road is lauded as the gateway to McHenry County.

But Lake in the Hills trustees fear a proposed interchange at Algonquin and Randall roads — the first of its kind in the state — could steer traffic away from an important gateway to Lake in the Hills businesses.

The McHenry County Division of Transportation is planning the continuous-flow intersection, or CFI, for Algonquin and Randall roads — one of the county’s busiest intersections and an intersection that marks the border for retail in Lake in the Hills and retail in Algonquin along Randall.

While the county touts the CFI as cost-effective and a way to increase traffic flow, village officials are far from thrilled about the improvements.

Village Administrator Gerald Sagona said trustees are concerned the CFI — as drawn in county plans — could cripple the village’s retail hub by taking away existing points of access to commercial businesses. Village Board President Ed Plaza called the county’s plan “bizarre and haphazard.”

“We have issues and concerns,” Sagona said.

What is a CFI?

A CFI puts left-turning traffic to the left of oncoming traffic at an intersection and the traffic flow it creates has been compared to that of traffic moving along an interstate.  YouTube provides video examples of how CFIs work and are meant to keep traffic flowing.

McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin says a CFI provides an “innovating way of queuing traffic making left turns.”

Why is the County Interested in a CFI?

About 70,000 vehicles pass through the Algonquin-Randall roads intersection a day, and the only “traditional” way to shorten riding times would be to put an interchange there, said Jason Osborn, principal transportation planner for McHenry County. 

“But we started looking at innovative, cost-saving ways and smaller designs,” Osborn said. “With a CFI, you don’t have to take out as many businesses and buy as many properties to complete the project.”

A “traditional interchange" at the intersection of Randall and Algonquin roads would mean a raised structure with on and off ramps, Osborn said.  

A CFI, estimated to cost about $25 million, would cost a fraction of what would be spent on a traditional interchange with elevated ramps. 

Overall, the county would spend about $80 million on Randall improvements, including widening to six lanes the 3.5-mile stretch on Randall between County Line and Ackman roads to prepare for the next 20 years of expected growth.

“It’s one of our major commercial corridors,” Osborn said. “It’s very important to the county. It gives us access to” Interstate 90.

Moving Forward With County Plans

County Board member Paula Yensen, a former Lake in the Hills trustee, made a special appearance in June before the village board to tell them that the county was moving forward with the plan. She said she was surprised the village was not on board with the plans.

The county is entering the next phase of the plan, which would include public hearings and identifying private property the county would need to purchase for the project, according to the county's Randall Road Improvements website.

Austin said the county would get together in a month or two with Lake in the Hills trustees to hear their concerns.