Community Advisory Group (CAG)

An important part of the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project and the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) process has been the extensive public participation in the study process. CSS is a collaborative approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits into its surroundings and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic, and environmental resources while maintaining safety and mobility. More information on IDOT’s CSS process can be found here.

A major part of our public involvement program was the formation of a Community Advisory Group (CAG). The purpose of the CAG was to provide input on various elements of the study, including developing a problem statement, identifying issues important to the community, and providing feedback on alternatives. The CAG is comprised of volunteers who represent a wide variety of local interests, such as elected leaders, emergency services personnel, schools, residents, businesses, and others with a stake in the study’s outcome. This group ensured that project solutions balanced community, technical and long‐range planning needs. The CAG provided input at key project milestones throughout the Phase I planning process. Illinois Route 3 Connector CAG members represent:
• City of Madison
• City of East St. Louis
• Village of Brooklyn
• Village of Fairmont City
• Metro East Sanitary District
• East‐West Gateway (MPO)
• St. Clair County Transit
• St. Clair County Roads and Bridges
• East St. Louis Business Development
• Chamber of Commerce
• SIU‐Edwardsville – East St. Louis Campus
• Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House
• Family Development Center
• Area Resident
• Southern Mission Baptist Church
• Gateway National Golf Course
• St. Louis Auto Shredding
• Milam Landfill Waste Management
• Pilot Travel Center
• Emerson Park Development Corp.
• Clark Trucking
• Quala Tank Trailer Cleaning, Inc.
• Pratt Properties, LLC
• Barber Murphy Group
• World Wide Technology Raceway (formerly Gateway Motorsports Park)
The CAG functioned as a liaison between IDOT and the community and helped generate interest in and knowledge about the study. The CAG helped ensure that the opinions, values, and concerns of the community were shared with the study team and that information developed by the team was distributed to the broader public.
 

• Communicated local issues related to the project study area with the study team.

• Served as a communication link with their communities.

• Helped ensure that community values and environment (context) were considered.

• CAG members provided input on project deliverables to the Project Study Group (PSG), which is responsible for project decision-making.

• Attend and actively participate in each CAG meeting.

• Communicate openly and honestly.

• Respect the opinion of other CAG members.

• Endorse roles defined above.

• Always represent one’s organization and community interest.

• Suggest alternatives for further study by the PSG that might minimize adverse effects on the environment.

• Consensus will be achieved on decisions; the CAG process is not a vote.

Eight CAG meetings have been held to date. Following is a summary of the meeting dates and topics discussed.

The first Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting for the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project was held on November 8, 2006, at Gateway National Golf Links. The purpose of the meeting was to:

• Provide an overview of the project, the environmental study process, and the public involvement /Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) program.
• Outline the purpose, roles, and responsibilities of CAG members.
• Ask each CAG member to complete a Context Audit form, which is designed to collect information about the study area so that IDOT gains an understanding of community resources and values.

Sixteen (16) individuals representing varied interests in the study area (government, transportation, business, and residents) were invited by the Project Study Group (PSG) to participate in the CAG. Of those invited, seven were in attendance.

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #1 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

The combined second and third Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting for the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project was held May 10, 2007 at Gateway National Golf Links Clubhouse.  The purpose of the meeting was to:

• Provide a summary of the Context Audit and review of Meeting #1.
• Determine project objectives and critical success factors (exercise to determine local priorities and how to determine project success).
• Discuss the Stakeholder Involvement Plan.
• Begin developing Purpose and Need/Problem Statement for the project.
• Provide a summary of the study area traffic analyses.

Thirteen (13) CAG members were in attendance at the meeting.

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #2 & #3 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

The fourth Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting for the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project was held August 29, 2007 at Gateway National Golf Links Clubhouse.  The purpose of the meeting was to review the initial concept alternatives for the project.

Nine (9) CAG members were in attendance at the meeting.

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #4 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

The fifth Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting for the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project was held January 23, 2013 at Gateway Links Golf Course.  The purpose of the meeting was to reintroduce the project and discuss how the project would progress based on the improvements to transportation in the study area achieved by the Mississippi River Bridge Project.

Seven (7) CAG members were in attendance at the meeting.  

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #5 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

The sixth Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting for the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project was held October 3, 2014 at the Gateway Motorsports Park Conference Center.  The purpose of the meeting was to share eight conceptual alternatives for the project with CAG members and solicit their feedback and ideas on the alternatives through a group exercise.

Nineteen (19) CAG members were in attendance at the meeting.  

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #6 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

The seventy Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting for the Illinois Route 3 Connector Project was held July 28, 2015 at Gateway Motorsports Park Convention Center. The purpose of the meeting was to present the four reasonable alternative that the project team had determined were feasible to be carried forward and to gather additional feedback and input from the CAG on each alternative.

Thirteen (13) CAG members were in attendance at the meeting.

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #7 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

The eighth Illinois Route 3 Connector Project’s Community Advisory Group (CAG) was held on February 3, 2016. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an update on the progress the project team had made and to solicit CAG input on revisions made to some of the alternatives carried forward.
Ten (10) CAG members attended the meeting.

Click here for a full summary of CAG Meeting #8 and the presentation given to meeting attendees.

As the project proceeds toward final design and construction, IDOT will continue to communicate with the community.

On December 17, 2017, IDOT provided CAG members an update on the progress of the Illinois Route 3 Connector and to share the Preferred Alternative selected. They were also provided advance notice of the Public Hearing.