Randall Road
Encyclopedia
Randall Road is a major north-south county highway in McHenry
and Kane County, Illinois
. The road is named after Norman Randall, a prominent area landowner in the 1930s. It serves as the western extent of the Fox Valley
suburbs in the Chicago metropolitan area. Its southern terminus is in Aurora, Illinois
, at Marseillaise Place. Its northern terminus is at a full four way intersection at McHenry Avenue and James B. Rakow Road in Crystal Lake, Illinois
. The road is 31.4 mi (50.5 km) in length.
, Lake in the Hills
, Algonquin
, Carpentersville
, West Dundee
, Sleepy Hollow
, Elgin
, South Elgin
, St. Charles
, Geneva
, Batavia
, North Aurora
, and Aurora
.
and the Algonquin Galleria
and power center Oakridge Court. The road was also widened to six lanes in small stretches in Elgin near I-90, to accommodate traffic generated by Sherman Hospital and the Elgin Auto Mall. Randall Road narrows to two lanes south of Interstate 88
in Aurora. A busy north-south artery, traffic counts average over 50,000 cars per day on some parts of the road.
Some of Randall Road's more important intersections are with Illinois 31 via Rakow Road in Crystal Lake, Algonquin Road in Algonquin, Huntley Road in Carpentersville, Illinois Route 72
in West Dundee, Big Timber Road and U.S. Route 20
in Elgin, Illinois Route 64
in Saint Charles, Illinois Route 38
in Geneva, Fabyan Parkway in Batavia, Orchard Road in North Aurora, and Indian Trail Drive and Galena Boulevard in Aurora. Randall Road has a complete interchange with Interstate 90
in Elgin, but does not have an interchange at Interstate 88
, probably because the original East-West Tollway terminated just a few miles to the west. As a result, travelers will usually use Orchard Road to access Interstate 88.
s Algonquin Commons
, Algonquin Galleria
, and Geneva Commons
are all found along the corridor. Also in Elgin, Randall Road serves as a major employment center near the I-90 interchange, from Route 72 to Big Timber Road, featuring several million square feet of industrial warehouse space, increasing numbers of office buildings, and three hotels. Development of the Algonquin Corporate Campus, further north, is also expected to add office buildings, industrial warehouses, and create high-paying jobs. Over time, the Algonquin-Elgin area along Randall Road is expected to become an edge city
.
Randall Road is becoming a major medical corridor, with three hosptials located along the road, including Sherman Hospital
and Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin and Delnor Hospital in Geneva. Several medical office buildings can be found along the road as well, and Advocate and Centegra health systems also maintain a presence along the corridor. Randall Road is also becoming an educational corridor, with Elgin Community College
and Aurora University
located just off the road. Randall Road also features a high concentration of churches from Elgin to St. Charles, including some megachurch
es.
Kane County Faigrounds and Government Center is prominently placed along the road in the St. Charles/Geneva area. Other points of interest on Randall Road include Randall Oaks Park & Golf Course (the showcase of the Dundee Townhsip Park District), and Lake in the Hills Airport, a general aviation facility located on Rakow Road, the northeastern exension of Randall Road.
. due to its proximity to large single family and multifamily home developments, a multitude of big-box retailers and large industries, lack of walkability, limited public transportation options, traffic congestion, and so forth.
Randall Road was once considered to be the western frontier of the Chicago metropolitan area, but as the area grew, Illinois Route 47
, several miles to the west, is considered to be the new western frontier.
In July 2006, municipal policing bodies with jurisdictions on Randall Road teamed up together to tackle hazardous driving and improve safety on the road. The program aimed to increase awareness, promote safety, and go after aggressive drivers, speeders, and those who run red lights. In an eight-hour period, more than 400 citations were given up and down the road.
Several municipalities, such as Algonquin and Lake in the Hills, have also begun installing red-light cameras which take photographs of vehicles that run red lights, and then issue the owner a speeding ticket in the mail. This initiative aims to curb reckless driving behaviors, particularly the tendency of high-speed traffic to run red lights, which poses significant danger and also causes delays.
Pedestrian safety is also an issue, and with the lack of sidewalks and safe crossings, several municipalities are working to create safer crossings. Algonquin has contemplated constructing a pedestrian bridge or tunnel at one or more intersections, or perhaps making signal improvements. South Elgin has already constructed a pedestrian bridge near Silver Glen Road.
McHenry County, Illinois
McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 308,760, which is an increase of 18.7% from 260,077 in 2000. Its county seat is Woodstock. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest county, in...
and Kane County, Illinois
Kane County, Illinois
Kane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 515,269, which is an increase of 27.5% from 404,119 in 2000. Its county seat is Geneva, and its largest city is Aurora.- Geography :...
. The road is named after Norman Randall, a prominent area landowner in the 1930s. It serves as the western extent of the Fox Valley
Fox River (Illinois River tributary)
The Fox River is a tributary of the Illinois River in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois in the United States. There are two other "Fox Rivers" in southern Illinois: the Fox River and a smaller "Fox River" that joins the Wabash River near New Harmony, Indiana.-Wisconsin:The Fox River rises near...
suburbs in the Chicago metropolitan area. Its southern terminus is in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
, at Marseillaise Place. Its northern terminus is at a full four way intersection at McHenry Avenue and James B. Rakow Road in Crystal Lake, Illinois
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Crystal Lake is a city located in southeastern McHenry County in northeastern Illinois, in the Chicago suburbs. It is named after Crystal Lake, a lake located west-southwest of downtown. Crystal Lake is also a suburb of the city of Chicago. The population was 38,000 at the 2000 census, but as of...
. The road is 31.4 mi (50.5 km) in length.
Towns Served
Randall Road runs through sections of the following towns from north to south: Crystal LakeCrystal Lake, Illinois
Crystal Lake is a city located in southeastern McHenry County in northeastern Illinois, in the Chicago suburbs. It is named after Crystal Lake, a lake located west-southwest of downtown. Crystal Lake is also a suburb of the city of Chicago. The population was 38,000 at the 2000 census, but as of...
, Lake in the Hills
Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Lake in the Hills is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,152 at the 2000 census. A 2006 special census put the village's population at 29,175....
, Algonquin
Algonquin, Illinois
Algonquin is a village in Illinois located in both McHenry and Kane counties. It is a northwest suburb of Chicago, located approximately 40 miles from the Loop...
, Carpentersville
Carpentersville, Illinois
Carpentersville is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 30,586 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Carpentersville is located at ....
, West Dundee
West Dundee, Illinois
West Dundee is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,975 as of July 2008.West Dundee lies across the Fox River from East Dundee and Carpentersville.-Geography:West Dundee is located at ....
, Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow, Illinois
Sleepy Hollow is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,553 at the 2000 census.Various streets in the village are named after characters in Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy HollowOther streets are named after trees. Still other streets, particularly in the...
, Elgin
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
, South Elgin
South Elgin, Illinois
South Elgin is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,100 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 20,758 as of 2005. In July 2007, Money magazine named South Elgin as 82 of 100 entries in its "America's Best Places To Live" edition.- Geography :South Elgin is...
, St. Charles
St. Charles, Illinois
St. Charles is a Chicago suburb in Kane and DuPage counties of Illinois, United States, and is roughly west of Chicago on Illinois Route 64. According to a 2004 census estimate, the city has a total population of 32,134. The official city slogan is Pride of the Fox, after the Fox River that runs...
, Geneva
Geneva, Illinois
Geneva is the county seat of Kane County, Illinois. It is located on the western fringe of the Chicago suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 26,652. Geneva is part of a tri-city area, along with St. Charles and Batavia...
, Batavia
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
, North Aurora
North Aurora, Illinois
North Aurora is village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. A suburb of Chicago, its population was 15,848 at the 2009 census.In its early history, North Aurora was known as "Schneider's Mill" or "Schneider's Crossing" after John Peter Schneider, a German immigrant who established a mill and...
, and Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
.
Multilane Artery
The road is four lanes for the majority of its length, except for two small sections. The road is six lanes wide for a mile-long stretch in Algonquin (between Corporate Parkway and Harnish Drive), to accommodate traffic generated by the large outdoor malls Algonquin CommonsAlgonquin Commons
Algonquin Commons is an upper-tier outdoor shopping mall, or lifestyle center, located along Randall Road in Algonquin, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. The mall is located in Kane County, Illinois, just south of the McHenry County line...
and the Algonquin Galleria
Galleria Center
The Algonquin Galleria Center is an outdoor shopping mall under construction at the southeast corner of Randall Road and County Line Road in Algonquin, Illinois. Plans are for of space with potentially 150 stores and restaurants set over...
and power center Oakridge Court. The road was also widened to six lanes in small stretches in Elgin near I-90, to accommodate traffic generated by Sherman Hospital and the Elgin Auto Mall. Randall Road narrows to two lanes south of Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (west)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago...
in Aurora. A busy north-south artery, traffic counts average over 50,000 cars per day on some parts of the road.
Some of Randall Road's more important intersections are with Illinois 31 via Rakow Road in Crystal Lake, Algonquin Road in Algonquin, Huntley Road in Carpentersville, Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the intersection with Illinois Route 73 north of Lanark east to Illinois Route 43 in Chicago...
in West Dundee, Big Timber Road and U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
in Elgin, Illinois Route 64
Illinois Route 64
Illinois Route 64 is an east–west road in north-central Illinois. Its western terminus is at the Iowa state line, connecting with U.S. Route 52 and Iowa Highway 64 via the Savanna-Sabula Bridge at the Mississippi River west of Savanna...
in Saint Charles, Illinois Route 38
Illinois Route 38
Illinois Route 38 is an east–west state road that runs across northern Illinois. It runs from U.S. Route 52 in downtown Dixon to U.S. Highways 12, 20, and 45 in Westchester. This is a distance of . As Roosevelt Road it continues through Forest Park and into Cicero and Chicago before...
in Geneva, Fabyan Parkway in Batavia, Orchard Road in North Aurora, and Indian Trail Drive and Galena Boulevard in Aurora. Randall Road has a complete interchange with Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
in Elgin, but does not have an interchange at Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (west)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago...
, probably because the original East-West Tollway terminated just a few miles to the west. As a result, travelers will usually use Orchard Road to access Interstate 88.
Retail, Industrial, and Institutional Corridor
The road is well-known for being lined with retailers for nearly its entire length, with shopping centers being most concentrated in three clusters: Geneva/Batavia, South Elgin/Elgin and Algonquin/Lake in the Hills/Carpentersville. Additionally, the large lifestyle centerLifestyle center
Lifestyle center may refer to:* Lifestyle center * Lifestyle center...
s Algonquin Commons
Algonquin Commons
Algonquin Commons is an upper-tier outdoor shopping mall, or lifestyle center, located along Randall Road in Algonquin, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. The mall is located in Kane County, Illinois, just south of the McHenry County line...
, Algonquin Galleria
Galleria Center
The Algonquin Galleria Center is an outdoor shopping mall under construction at the southeast corner of Randall Road and County Line Road in Algonquin, Illinois. Plans are for of space with potentially 150 stores and restaurants set over...
, and Geneva Commons
Geneva Commons
The Geneva Commons is an upscale lifestyle center in the Chicago suburb of Geneva, Illinois. The center is located along Randall Road in the heart of the St. Charles/Geneva/Batavia retail complex. The center includes over 80 retailers and restaurants spread over . The center, which was developed by...
are all found along the corridor. Also in Elgin, Randall Road serves as a major employment center near the I-90 interchange, from Route 72 to Big Timber Road, featuring several million square feet of industrial warehouse space, increasing numbers of office buildings, and three hotels. Development of the Algonquin Corporate Campus, further north, is also expected to add office buildings, industrial warehouses, and create high-paying jobs. Over time, the Algonquin-Elgin area along Randall Road is expected to become an edge city
Edge city
"Edge city" is an American term for a concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional urban area in what had recently been a residential suburb or semi-rural community...
.
Randall Road is becoming a major medical corridor, with three hosptials located along the road, including Sherman Hospital
Sherman Hospital
Sherman Hospital is a hospital in Elgin, Illinois. It was founded in 1888, and moved to a new campus in 2009. Until 2004, it was the only local hospital to perform heart surgery....
and Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin and Delnor Hospital in Geneva. Several medical office buildings can be found along the road as well, and Advocate and Centegra health systems also maintain a presence along the corridor. Randall Road is also becoming an educational corridor, with Elgin Community College
Elgin Community College
Elgin Community College is a U.S. post-secondary educational institution which awards Associate of Arts degrees. It was founded in 1949 as part of Elgin Area School District U46. Community College District #509 was formed 17 years later in 1966, a year after Illinois legislators created the...
and Aurora University
Aurora University
Aurora University is a private, not-for-profit, co-educational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Illinois, 40 miles west of Chicago, Illinois. Additional university locations include the George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin and the Woodstock Center in Woodstock, Illinois...
located just off the road. Randall Road also features a high concentration of churches from Elgin to St. Charles, including some megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
es.
Kane County Faigrounds and Government Center is prominently placed along the road in the St. Charles/Geneva area. Other points of interest on Randall Road include Randall Oaks Park & Golf Course (the showcase of the Dundee Townhsip Park District), and Lake in the Hills Airport, a general aviation facility located on Rakow Road, the northeastern exension of Randall Road.
Contributor to sprawl
Randall Road is often considered by many to be a poster-child for urban sprawlUrban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
. due to its proximity to large single family and multifamily home developments, a multitude of big-box retailers and large industries, lack of walkability, limited public transportation options, traffic congestion, and so forth.
Randall Road was once considered to be the western frontier of the Chicago metropolitan area, but as the area grew, Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47 is a largely rural north–south state highway that runs from the Wisconsin state border at Highway 120 near Hebron, to Illinois Route 10, just south of Interstate 72 near Seymour. This is a distance of . Even though Route 47 is primarily rural, in several suburbs of Chicago,...
, several miles to the west, is considered to be the new western frontier.
Safety
Randall Road remains unique, due to its speed limit and amount of reckless driving. When rural roads are widened and built up, the speed limits are typically lowered. For much of its length, including some very high traffic zones up and down the corridor, the posted speed limit remains at 55 mph (88 km/h), the maximum allowed for a non-expressway under Illinois state law. However, short sections of the road have speed limits of 45 or 50 mph (72 or 80 km/h). Because of the high speed limit and high traffic volume, Randall Road has a lot of car accidents, many of them fatal. For example, Algonquin reports that at least 50% of traffic accidents within its boundaries occur on Randall Road. In addition, the intersection of Randall and Huntley Roads was the most dangerous intersection in Illinois in 2006, with 90 crashes reported there that year. In 2007, despite signal improvements, the number increased to 101 crashes. The intersection of Randall & McHenry Avenues ranked 8th, with 67 crashes.In July 2006, municipal policing bodies with jurisdictions on Randall Road teamed up together to tackle hazardous driving and improve safety on the road. The program aimed to increase awareness, promote safety, and go after aggressive drivers, speeders, and those who run red lights. In an eight-hour period, more than 400 citations were given up and down the road.
Several municipalities, such as Algonquin and Lake in the Hills, have also begun installing red-light cameras which take photographs of vehicles that run red lights, and then issue the owner a speeding ticket in the mail. This initiative aims to curb reckless driving behaviors, particularly the tendency of high-speed traffic to run red lights, which poses significant danger and also causes delays.
Pedestrian safety is also an issue, and with the lack of sidewalks and safe crossings, several municipalities are working to create safer crossings. Algonquin has contemplated constructing a pedestrian bridge or tunnel at one or more intersections, or perhaps making signal improvements. South Elgin has already constructed a pedestrian bridge near Silver Glen Road.