RECEIVED
CLERK'S OFFICE
JAN 2 3 2006
lllinois Pollution Control Board
Attn: Carol Webb
Suite 11-500
100 W. Randolph Street
(~
~
Chicago, D 60601
c
Board Members,
P
My name is Suzanne Simpson and I lived next to the Petrosius' house on Maridon
Road. My home was 300' from the tollway during the installation of the sound wall
under debate. I worked diligently to no prevail to have the pilings inspected during
the installation process due to an obvious error in design and or installation .
I have enclosed a letter I sent to the tollway in 1994 stating my concerns at that time.
As you will read, the tollway was informed that the wall they were installing was
going to be below road level. They were informed of this before the walls were
inserted.
I was very happy to pass this information along to Mr . Petrosius due to the amount
of time and effort I spent on this and the obvious amount of time and money Mr .
Petrosius has also spent. The tollway at that time had the same position it has now .
They knew it was incorrect, but they would do nothing to correct it. I wish I were
aware of the Pollution Control Board in 1994 because that would have been a
wonderful option for my neighbors and myself. It could have been twelve years of a
better life style for us
all .
Since moving from the area I now fully realize just how much my neighbors and
myself were inconvenienced and limited to how we went about our daily lives.
I wish my old neighbors all the luck in the world in achieving what I could not. It
was a wonderful area to live with the exception of the noise .
Sincerely,
Suzanne M. Simpson
733.5 /tlanden /I
CBUrL
fi~ a rela
/L 605;)s--
STATE OF
ILLINOIS
Pollution Control Spard
Suzanne M . Simpson, CPA
10321 5th Avenue
•
La Grange, Illinois 60525
•
(708) 354-9410
October 17, 1994
Mr. Frank Howard, Chief Attorney
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
One Authority Drive
Downers Grove, Illinois 60515
CERTIFIED MAIL
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Dear Mr. Howard :
Our property lies within 300 feet of 1-294. where the new 75th Street ramp enters the northbound
tollway. We purchased this home in November 1992 after several discussions with individuals at
the Tollway and United Parcel Service, regarding Construction plans . My concern obviously, had to
do with how the local residents would be effected
by
such construction. The conversations were
very helpful and reassuring that our choice of a neW home was a good one .
Since then, I have spoken to Scott Dworschak periodically regarding the sound wall that was to be
constructed near our property . Traveling 1-294 from Alsip to O'Hare regularly, I observed various
sections of the wall going up . One day in June, I came home to find construction had begun at the
end of Maridon Road
.
By
the end of the third day's work, it was obvious that something was
wrong.
As the wall comes out from behind the house at the end of the road (which incidentally the Tollway
owns and the contractors have been using as a headquarters since we moved here), the wall was
slightly higher than the Tollway. However, the wall takes two substantial drops, so that the highest
point as it comes across Maridon Road is even with the Tollway, and the point closest to my and
my neighbor,
Bill
Piper's house, is at least four feet below the level of the Tollway . At that point I
called Mr. Dworschak to discuss the situation . After a lengthy discussion, I reluctantly agreed to
give it a couple of weeks for the work to be completed and to evaluate the raise level
.
In addition to the height of the wall, at least a 30 foot gap was originally left between the concrete
wall and the wood fence that surrounds the interchange . This gap was eventually closed with
additional wood fencing after our on-site meeting with Mr. Dworschak .
It has proved to be neither the sight wall nor sound barrier that we were told would be erected . The
wall is too short to block the sight of the tollway, and the noise level has more than doubled since
construction of the wall. After repeated phone caps, and a number of unretumed messages later,
Bill Piper, his son Bob Piper. Pat McDonald (Couoryside Village Manager), Pat Rogers (Lyons
Township Supervisor), and I met with Mr. Dworschak, on August 18, 1994. We toured the site, Mr .
Piper's property, and my property.
Suzanne M. Simpson, CPA
Page 2
Since this meeting, I have spoken to Mr. Dworschak, and my husband has spoken to Ken
Desmaretz (your chief engineer). We have been told that the Tollway is rat going to anything more
regarding the wall because "based on Federal guidelines, we have done all that we are required to
do." We, and the other effected residents along Maridon Road and 5th Avenue Cutoff, find this
response completely unacceptable. Observing the wall erected along other sections of the tllway,
it is quite obvious to even the untrained eye that something is wrong here
.
Since the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has no qualms about infringing upon citizens homes
and livelihoods, we find it necessary to keep purst4ng this until we reach a satisfactory conclusion .
Until this point, we have given the Tollway every opportunity to acknowledge its own error, and
remedy the situation quietly and peacefully . Since, those opportunities have been ignored, I now
find A necessary to request copies of the papers d4rcumenting the design and construction of the
wall, from 95th Street to 1-290, including the soundistudies that were done, under the Freedom of
Information Act. I understand that I am obligated to pay
reasonable
copying and messengering
costs. I also understand that you are obligated to respond to this request within ten days of receipt
.
I can be reached in my office during the day at (706) 766-7007. I look forward to hearing from you .
Sincerely,
Suzanne M . Simpson
CC :
Bill Piper
Pat Rogers
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