Prospects to keep McHenry County's western half off-limits to developers got a boost this past week when the McHenry County Division of Transportation promised to go back to the drawing boards with a plan to radically upgrade Alden Road in rural Alden Township.Keeping the western half country is a major feature of the county's 2030 Plan scheduled for public hearing in coming months. Planners claim that part of McHenry County can become a tourism draw for the Chicago area but needs to be preservered anyway because it's the recharge zone for eastern half water supplies. A county study concluded water in Algonquin Township is running out and Nunda Township isn't far behind.
Alden Township residents organized during the summer to oppose McDOT's plan to nearly double the width of crumbling Alden Road saying it would destroy the road's character. Not to mention a lot of trees, buildings and septic fields.
At last Tuesday's County Board meeting the agency gave in and said it would start over. "We'll be looking at ways to moderate right of way impact," said Assistant County Engineer Jeff Young who expected the process to take several months.
The announcement pleased Alden residents who've been packing board meetings for most of the summer but they remain somewhat sceptical. "We'll be here. And we'll be watching," said Township Supervisor Preston Rea.
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