West Dundee – Carpentersville’s President Bill Sarto, a voting member of the Longmeadow Parkway Task-Force, attended the “Open House” style public hearing on the purposed Longmeadow Parkway Bridge. This bridge plan is designed to be a Tollway Bridge. The cost per trip is  estimated to be $1.00 at “off peak” times and $1.50 per use at “peak” driving times.

President Sarto feels that is too high a price for a river crossing. He feels the bridge would not provide the relief to the other area bridges that it was originally purported to do. President Sarto originally favored the idea, but now finds it more and more difficult to support it.

The toll cost is the deal breaker in my opinion. I fear this will be a bridge that very few will use. It will become a very costly White Elephant. Other funding sources should be considered. I also am concerned for those living nearby to the corridor. Sound proof fencing is too expensive and would add greatly to this project, therefore those houses in the vicinity could be very negatively impacted by this bridge. Even if the bridge is not widely utilized, it very well could be a gravel truck route that would add noise and pollution to the surrounding homes. That would be unacceptable to me.