ROCHELLE — The Blackhawk Hills Regional Council, working with Rochelle, Steward, and Lee County, has released draft recommendations for the Steward-Caron Roads Industrial Corridor plan, a study launched in 2023 to guide growth along the five-mile corridor. The draft outlines strategies to manage truck congestion, explore a Steward bypass, and extend Dement Road for better freight access, while also calling for safer road designs, bike and pedestrian paths, and green infrastructure to limit community impacts. Rail upgrades, relocation of switching operations, and other improvements are under review to support new industrial projects projected to bring more than 10,000 jobs over 30 years, with costs estimated at $40 million and funding expected from state and federal programs ahead of a final plan due by September 2025.
© Copyright Site Designed and Hosted by RiverBender.com