Fermilab's Importance

SAVE OPEN LAND IN DUPAGE

The original route (see Area Map tab [155k]) through Fermilab proposed by the County in 1998 started from Eola Road at the southern border of the lab, and then angled eastward to the east edge of the lab. The highway then turned northward, running parallel and just west of the power lines. At about Wilson Street the highway turned northwest to cross Fabyan Parkway and then joined Kress Road at Roosevelt Road (IL 38). Fermilab has a policy of being a 'good neighbor'. Thus, lab officials agreed to consider the highway if it did not impact their physics research.

What is Fermilab, and why is it so important? The following are some important facts about the facility.

• Fermilab is the home of the world's highest-energy accelerator and helps maintain our nation at the forefront of science and technology.
  

• When the new Main Injector is brought on-line, the facility is expected to produce more data about more particle collisions at the energy frontier than ever before in the history of particle physics.
  

• More than 2,200 scientists from 36 states and 20 countries use the facilities.
  

• It is one of the largest employers in the area.
  

• Fermilab brings over $250 million per year into the local economy.
  

• Fermilab comprises 6800 acres, most of which is open space. It is twice the size of Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve, DuPage County's largest preserve.
  

• Fermilab has opened its property to the local public for recreation such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, science classes. Public concerts and educational programs are also held on laboratory grounds.
  

In short, Fermilab is a world-class research facility, an important contributor to the local economy, and the largest public park in the area. That's quite an impressive combination.

Since the route was proposed, scientists have determined that highway vibration would imperil Fermilab's future. Additionally, land taken by the highway would limit the ability of the Lab to build new accelerators and other facilities. In order to continue to expand the frontiers of physics research, physicists need to study particles at higher and higher energy levels. To accomplish this, new accelerators will need to be larger. Thus, taking land away from Fermilab in order to build the highway would run contrary to the requirements for upgrading facilities at the Lab.

Fermilab officials met with Mr. Schillerstrom (DuPage County Board chairman) at the end of July, 1999, to inform him no highway could be built through the lab. Subsequent to the meeting, Mr. Schillerstrom said at the September meeting of the DuKane Valley Council, "after we get the road through Fermilab, then we can worry about where it goes." Then in October, Fermilab wrote a letter (see Fermilab Letter tab [23k]) to reiterate their position to Mr. Schillerstrom. They stated that to agree to the eastern route would "potentially foreclose our ability to develop future accelerators and assure that Fermilab remains a leader in high energy physics." Mr. Schillerstrom did not make the letter public knowledge and did not inform the County Board.

SOLID made the letter public in November of 1999. The County restated that Fermilab remained their first choice and the $850,000 study of the highway would continue.

In November, 1999, the County Transportation Committee proposed an alternative route. As their second choice, the highway would be built through Warrenville and West Chicago neighborhoods. Fermilab has told us that this route would have as bad an effect on their experiments as the route through lab property. The County proposed spending $100,000 to $200,000 to study the two routes, as well as widening IL Rt. 59 or Kirk Road.

On January 10, 2000, the Transportation Committee dropped consideration of the three alternate routes. The route through Fermilab would be the only option considered.

In the fall of 2000, the County announced that they would be conducting an Environmental Impact Statement of the Eola Road extension.  The study, as required by Federal law, will have to include alternatives to the proposed highway.  The alternatives will include widening IL Route 59, widening Kirk Road, as well as a no-build option.  The study is expected to take about a year to complete.  A mid-study public hearing, as yet unscheduled, should be held in the spring or early summer of 2001.  There will also be a final public hearing when the study has been completed.