Documents about the Illinois Route 53 Advisory Referendum
County Board Resolution	Resolution to forward advisory referendum results to the State of Illinois
Referendum Results	Map showing referendum results by precinct
Fact Sheet	About the Illinois Route 53 Advisory Question
County Board Resolution	Resolution to place advisory referendum on the ballot
Speciman Ballot	Sample ballot for April 7th election
Map	Contemplated route of proposed extension

In September 2001, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority identified the Route 53 extension as one of two alternatives to improve traffic in a report called the Lake County Transportation Improvement Project. To date, however, the State has not decided which option to pursue. The Chicago Region Year 2030 Regional Transportation Plan, which was adopted October 2006, included the possible extension of IL Route 53 from Lake Cook Road north to IL Route 120.

The Lake County Board approved placing an advisory referendum on the April 7 Consolidated Election ballot to ask voters whether Route 53 should be extended from Lake Cook Road north to Illinois Route 120. More than 75% of voters in the election voted yes on the question.

This was an advisory referendum to determine the level of public support for the extension of Illinois Route 53 through Lake County. Results will be forwarded to the State of Illinois for future consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t live anywhere near Route 53, so why should I care about this?
Construction of Route 53 would be a significant investment in the countywide transportation system and relieve traffic congestion on arterial roads.

When and where would Route 53 be built?
There are no plans to build Route 53 currently. If the State were to pursue this, an exact route would need to be determined. (map)

What kind of environmental impact would there be if Route 53 was built?
If the State were to build Route 53, extensive engineering, including environmental studies, would be done.

Will the proposed Route 53 extension impede the Route 120 realignment project?
A feasibility study for IL Route 120 is currently underway. The outcome of the Route 120 study is not related to the Route 53 referendum, which is solely to gauge public opinion.

How can I voice my opinion about this issue?
If the State were to pursue building Route 53, an extensive public hearing process would take place.