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Study Overview, Goals, & Objectives
The Fairfield Road Planning Study will identify near-term improvements to improve safety and ease traffic congestion on the Fairfield Road corridor in Lake County. The study will also plan for future investments that enhance economic opportunity, mobility, equity, and quality of life in the area.
Study Area
The study area follows Fairfield Road from north of Gilmer Road to Oakwood Drive, an approximately 5.5 mile segment.
Goals & Objectives
Through stakeholder, agency, and public input, the Study Team seeks to establish a shared corridor vision and identify a range of alternatives that will:
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Increase safety for all roadway users
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Consider potential regional transportation improvements
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Reduce congestion and delays as population grows
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Avoid or minimize impacts to environmental resources such
as wetlands, recreational areas, and potential historic
properties
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Provide pedestrian and bicycle connectivity
About the Planning Study
Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL)
A PEL Study is a planning study that provides for:
- A collaborative approach to decision-making
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Early consideration of:
- Environmental resources
- Community context
- Future development plans
- Incorporation of information, analysis, and planning results into environmental review
Purpose of the Study
A PEL Study will be conducted to enable the following planning products to be adopted into later environmental review processes for future projects within the study limits:
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Draft Purpose and Need with federal and state
concurrence
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Screening of alternatives to be carried forward
for further study
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Basic description of the environmental setting
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Decision on methodologies for analysis
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Allows project to be eligible for potential state
and federal funding
The PEL will develop a roadmap for the corridor and identify potential future projects to be carried forward for further study.
PEL Process & Schedule
PEL Process Steps
PEL Schedule
Traffic & Crash Data
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) and Crash Data
Current traffic volumes on Fairfield Road within the study area range from 11,700 to 13,700 vehicles per day. The Average Daily Traffic map below indicates average daily traffic volumes at select points along Fairfield Road. With no improvements to Fairfield, traffic volumes are expected to range from 12,400 to 14,500 vehicles per day by 2050. Daily traffic volumes over 14,000 vehicles per day typically indicate a two-lane roadway is at or over capacity.
However, there are additional factors that are considered as well such as the crash data. Scroll down to view traffic and crash data.
Intersection Crash Data (2017 – 2021)
There were 357 total crashes in the study area between 2017 and 2021. Of those crashes, 88 involved injuries, and one involved a fatality. The predominant crash type in the study area is rear-end crashes, accounting for 51 percent of total crashes. A high number of rear-end crashes can be an indication of insufficient capacity along a roadway.
Corridor-Wide Crash Data (2017 – 2021)
Primary Crash Types within Study Area
51%
Rear-end
20%
Turning
9%
Angle
6%
Fixed object
4%
Side swipe
4%
Animal
4%
Other
2%
Side swipe opposite
357
Total Crashes
88
Injury Crashes
1
Pedestrian Crashes
0
Bicycle Crash
1
Fatal Crash
Common Causes of Crashes Along the Corridor
Hard Braking
Following Too Closely
Failure to Yield
Speeding
Roadway Segment Crash Data (2017 – 2021)
Traffic Data — Existing Level of Service (LOS) Intersections 1–3
Traffic Data — Existing Level of Service (LOS) Intersections 4–6
Traffic Data — Existing Level of Service (LOS) Intersections 7–9
Built & Natural Environments
The study team is identifying environmental resources such as parks and wetlands, historical resources, and collecting data to develop alternatives that will improve mobility and safety on Fairfield Road while limiting impact on the built and natural environment.
Alternatives Development & Analysis
The development of alternatives involves identifying potential solutions to the transportation needs identified through engineering analysis, stakeholder engagement and public input. Alternatives are informed by existing traffic, safety, and environmental conditions data. From that point, alternatives are screened based on criteria developed with stakeholder and public input. This stage of the PEL Study process identifies recommended alternatives that may be further developed in future Phase I studies.
Screening Process
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
We Are Here!Purpose and Need
Screening Process
The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is using a multi-step screening process to determine recommended project alternatives within the Fairfield Road Planning Study area. Alternatives must pass several screenings to be considered as a project the LCDOT may pursue in the future. This process incorporates engineering analysis, stakeholder engagement and public input throughout.
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
Purpose and Need Statement
The Purpose of the transportation improvements in the study area is to reduce congestion on Fairfield Road and surrounding roads and improve safety for all users.
The Need for the improvements is based on feedback from the public to enhance safety and operations, to reduce congestion, to be compatible with other planned improvements on surrounding roadways, and to consider non-motorized modes of transportation for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Initial Alternatives
Screening Process
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
Initial Alternatives
Alternatives that did not meet the Purpose and Need or have excessive impacts or cost are not carried forward to the next step.
Legend
Required to be screened as part of the PEL study process
Advances to next level of screening
Does not meet criteria to advance to next level of screening
No Build
- Serves as a baseline comparison for other alternatives
- Federally required to advance through the PEL process
2-Lane
- Does not meet Purpose and Need based on existing traffic and safety conditions
3-Lane
- Meets Purpose and Need
4-Lane
- Meets Purpose and Need
5-Lane
- Meets Purpose and Need
Traffic and Safety
Screening Process
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
Traffic & Safety Screening
The number of travel lanes and medium usage along the corridor are analyzed for traffic operational and safety performance.
Legend
Required to be screened as part of the PEL study process
Advances to next level of screening
Does not meet criteria to advance to next level of screening
No Build
- Serves as a baseline comparison for other alternatives
- Federally required to advance through the PEL process
3-Lane
- Moderate improvement to traffic operations
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Moderate improvement to safety
- Widened shoulder
- Separation of opposing traffic
- Dedicated storage for left turning vehicles
4-Lane
- Moderate improvement to traffic operations
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Low improvement to safety
- Widened shoulder
- Increased risk for rear-end crashes for vehicles making left turns as well as head-on and sideswipe crashes
5-Lane
- High improvement to traffic operations
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Moderate to high improvement to safety
- Widened shoulder
- Separation of opposing traffic
- Dedicated storage for left turning vehicles
- Increased capacity reduces congestion related crashes
Impacts Screening
Screening Process
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
Impacts Screening
Alternatives are evaluated for improvement to traffic operations, increased safety performance, impacts to adjacent lands, impacts to natural resources, technical feasibility, and construction cost.
Intersection types (stop-controlled, signalized, roundabout) determined feasible for each intersection location will be developed and analyzed in Phase I.
Legend
Required to be screened as part of the PEL study process
Advances to next level of screening
Does not meet criteria to advance to next level of screening
No Build
- Serves as a baseline comparison for other alternatives
- Federally required to advance through the PEL process
3-Lane
- Moderate improvement to traffic operations
- Moderate improvement to safety
- Moderate impact to right-of-way
- Moderate impact to natural resources
- Construction staging requires temporary impacts
- Moderate cost
5-Lane
- High improvement to traffic operations
- Moderate to high improvement to safety
- Similar impact to right-of-way as 3-lane; permanent impact is higher
- Similar impact to natural resources as 3-lane
- Simplified construction staging
- Higher cost
Non-Motorized Screening
Screening Process
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
Non-Motorized Screening
Paths, sidewalks, and bicycle friendly shoulders are applied to the designs carried forward from the previous step and analyzed for their non-motorized operations and safety, along with impacts to adjacent land and environmental features.
Paths, Sidewalks, and Bicycle Friendly Shoulders
Source: Small Town and Rural Design Guide Facilities for Walking and Biking
Study Area Trails and Sidewalks
Roadway Alternatives Not Carried Forward
2-Lane
- Does not meet Purpose and Need based on existing traffic and safety conditions
4-Lane
- Moderate improvement to traffic operations
- Low improvement to safety
- Increased risk for rear-end crashes for vehicles making left turns, as well as head-on and sideswipe crashes
Roadway Alternatives to be Carried Forward
Screening Process
Click or tap on the colored boxes to learn more.
Roadway Alternatives to be Carried Forward
LCDOT will use these recommended alternatives in the development of future projects. Intersection and non-motorized options will be identified during Phase I of future projects.
Legend
Required to be screened as part of the PEL study process
Advances to next level of screening
Does not meet criteria to advance to next level of screening
No Build
- Serves as a baseline comparison for other alternatives
- Federally required to advance through the PEL process
3-Lane
- Moderate improvements to traffic mobility
- Increases safety
- Moderate impacts to adjacent property and natural resources
- Improvements to bicycle and pedestrian safety via non-motorized alternatives
5-Lane
- High improvements to traffic mobility
- Increases safety
- Higher impacts to adjacent property and natural resources
- Improvements to bicycle and pedestrian safety via non-motorized alternatives
Non-motorized improvements like bike path and sidewalk are being considered with all alternatives. See the Non-Motorized Alternatives Board for additional information.
Intersection Improvements Being Considered
Stop Controlled
Roundabout
Signalized
Re-alignment
Intersection Improvements Considered
| Intersections | Additional Turn Lanes on Fairfield Road | Additional Turn Lanes on Minor Street | Improvement to Traffic Signals | Traffic Signal Installation | Roundabout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield Road at Gilmer Road | Considered | Considered | |||
| Fairfield Road at Chardon Road | Considered | Considered | Considered | Considered | |
| Fairfield Road at IL Route 60 | Considered | ||||
| Fairfield Road at Townline Road | Considered | Considered | |||
| Fairfield Road at IL Route 120 | Considered | Considered | Considered | ||
| Fairfield Road at Nippersink Road | Considered | Considered | |||
| Fairfield Road at Hart Road | Considered | Considered | Considered | ||
| Fairfield Road at IL Route 134 | Considered | Considered | |||
| Fairfield Road at Long Lake Drive | Considered | Considered |
Non-Motorized Alternatives to be Carried Forward
What’s Next
Upon completion of this meeting and the public comment period, the PEL report will be finalized and posted to the website. The report will guide programming of county funds for future engineering and construction phases of projects along the corridor. These future engineering studies will include a comprehensive analysis of the alternatives carried forward, including intersection and non-motorized alternatives, and determine the preferred alternative for each segment. Additional stakeholder and public outreach, including public meetings, will be part of these future engineering studies.
Anticipated Near term improvements (anticipate 1-2 years):
- Finalize PEL Report (2025)
- Initiate preliminary engineering study from N. of Gilmer Road to N. of IL 60
- Resurface the roadway from IL 60 to Nippersink Road (2026)
Anticipated Longer Term Improvements (anticipate 3-5 years):
- Initiate preliminary engineering study (N. of IL 60 to N. of IL 120)
- Initiate preliminary engineering study (N. of IL 120 to N. of IL 134)
High Injury Network
Get Involved
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Comment Form
Use the Comment button on the top right of your screen
Lake County Division of Transportationc/o Fairfield Road
Planning Study Team
600 West Winchester Road
Libertyville, IL 60048
