Winnebago County Engineer

Reply From Kristine Cohn through the County Engineer

County of Winnebago
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

424 North Springfield Avenue Joseph A. Vanderwerff, Sr. P.E. Phone (815) 965-9431
Rockford, Illinois 61101-5097 County Engineer Fax (815) 965-9433

March 14, 2000

Eugene A. Brown, President
Illinois Conservation Voters
P.O. Box 9
Fox River Grove, Illinois 60021

Dear Mr. Brown,

This is in response to your letter of March 6, 2000. Since your letter dealt specifically with issues that concerned the Perryville Road project, Winnebago County Board Chairman Kristine Cohn has asked me to respond. In regards to your request, a cost benefit analysis is not available for this project. For your information, a cost benefit analysis was not completed for any of the sections of Perryville Road constructed to date. In addition, we have not completed one for the remaining sections of this highway.

Preparation of cost-benefit analysis for highway projects is not a common practice. State and federal transportation agencies generally complete a cost-benefit analysis only for safety and major regional projects. Local agencies such as counties and municipalities rarely if ever complete such studies.

The Illinois Conservation Voters understand this to mean that Kristine Cohn and her board supporters want to leave things unchanged. This means they can continue to funnel your money to a selected group of benefactors without ever showing you the actual cost benefit*. They want business as usual!

Your letter also mentioned the Stateline Area Transportation Study (SLATS) public involvement process. Chairman Cohn and I are aware of their public involvement process. However, I believe that you may be confused with regard to its application. The public involvement process is one that applies to the approval of the SLATS long-range transportation plan, not to individual projects that are part of the plan. Since the County is one vote on the policy committee, I suggest that you contact SLATS directly as to how your concerns might best be addressed at a future SLATS meeting.

The Illinois Conservation Voters understand this to mean that Kristine Cohn and her board supporters want to hide behind theoretical technicalities in respect to full disclosure about existing projects.

With regards to public involvement through Winnebago County, the Perryville Road Project has been one of the most publicized highway projects in the County. There have been multiple opportunities for public input since its development in the late 1960's. It was initially included in the 1985 Rockford Area Transportation Study (RATS) long-range transportation plan that was published in 1970 and has been included in every RATS long-range transportation plan since.

The Illinois Conservation Voters understand this to mean that Kristine Cohn and her board supporters may have produced volumes of words and graphics but (as confirmed earlier) they have still failed to show the cost benefit* of the project .

In addition, Winnebago County provided many opportunities for public input over the last 30 years in the planning for and construction of this highway facility. Public meetings were held, the project was discussed at both County Board committees and at the County Board meetings, all of which are open for public involvement. Most recently the remaining three sections of Perryville Road were included in Winnebago County's 5-Year Highway Capital Improvement Program. This program was presented to the County Board in August of 1999 and approved in September. Copies of this program have been distributed to every library location in the County.

The Illinois Conservation Voters understand this to mean more of the same. None of the materials present a quantitative cost benefit* analysis.

I hope this response adequately addresses the concerns noted in your letter. We appreciate your interest in our highway program.

Sincerely,

Winnebago County Highway Department
Joseph A. Vanderwerff Sr., P.E.
County Engineer

JAV

cc:     Kristine Cohn, Chairman Winnebago County Board
         Charles Hollerith, Chairman Winnebago County Public Works Committee
       Public Works Committee Members-John Elliott
                                                                Perl Hawks
                                                                Donald Kerestes
                                                                Bud Wilkins

*COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS

A cost benefit analysis is what you do at home or as a business.

You look at the things you would like to buy.
You evaluate (measure) which items give you the greatest benefit.
You count your money and sometimes consider a loan⁽¹⁾. Then you make a decision about the real worth of buying.

⁽¹⁾A loan only lasts for a period of time. The Government raises you taxes and it is forever!