IDOT requests further studies on Canadian National’s potential Channahon intermodal

The Illinois Department of Transportation requested that the traffic study submitted by V3 Companies on behalf of Canadian National go further in providing an analysis of downstream traffic impacts.

The Village of Channahon said in a Jan. 18 news release that many of the comments made by IDOT are similar to those made by TranSystems, the traffic engineer used by the village.

V3 Companies is conducting a further traffic study and resubmitting its report in the future. As of now, there is no site plan or subdivision application on file for development on the project with Channahon, Minooka, or Grundy County, and no engineering plans have been received for review and comment.

Canadian National started purchasing property near its railroad tracks west of McClindon Road and north of Route 6 in 2019, amassing around 900 acres. Most of this land is within the Channahon village limits and is zoned I-2, Intensive Industrial, and has been for more than 20 years.

The Morris Herald-News first reported on this project back in December, when both the Village of Channahon and the Village of Minooka administrators shared questions about the project, which includes how traffic gets in and out of the site, where the site is accessed from, what effects it will have on local infrastructure and roads and regional roads, and what necessary improvements need to be made in both the short and long terms.

Representatives from Channahon, Minooka, Morris, Grundy County, the Grundy County Economic Development Council, IDOT District 3 and the IDOT Director of Highways Project Implementation all attended a meeting Dec. 9 to ensure the state understands the traffic concerns in the region.

This transportation hub could be coming as soon as 2025, but no plans are in place for further development at this time. Canadian National has not yet provided the Village of Channahon with information on any planned public information meetings, although an informational meeting is expected.

For more information, visit https://channahon.org/222/New-Development-Projects-Businesses, where the Village of Channahon provides updates on potential projects that could be coming to the village in the future.