BY MALINDA OSBORNE TELEGRAPH REPORTER mosborne@svnmail.com
DIXON — If rumblings of growth around the Rochelle area are any indicator, northeastern Lee County, including areas like Steward, stand to see a lot of development in coming years.
Plans and ideas are up in the air, but for Jason Anderson, Rochelle's economic development director, they're worth discussing.
At the Lee County board meeting on Tuesday, Anderson will give a presentation on the potential for development in the Rochelle area as a result of the Illinois River Energy ethanol plant and Global III Intermodal Facility, one of the largest such rail and truck freight-shipping facilities in the world. He maintains this growth will expand into Lee County, necessitating infrastructure improvements, such as a proposed truck and bypass route around the Village of Steward and a proposed interchange at Interstate 88 and Thorpe Road.
In all, about 2,500 acres of land in the northeastern portion of the county, between Rochelle and Steward, would be up for possible development.
"If everyone worked together and not draw a line at the county line" it could work, said Chris Henkel, Lee County zoning administrator. "It's going to be a hot spot."
In other county business, depending on the weather, the Schilpp Road bridge, northwest of Harmon, and Rockyford Road bridge, south of Amboy, both should be completed and open to drive on by this week. County maintenance crews started mid-August on Schilpp Road while they've been working since the beginning of May on Rockyford Road. Drivers have had to find alternate routes. Both bridges had to be replaced with new ones.
And finally, preliminary figures for the county's budget next year will be released at the meeting. They also will be available in County Clerk Nancy Nelson's office.
Reach Malinda Osborne at 284-2222 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 526.
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