“Life is like a box of chocolates,” Forrest Gump says in the movie.

Well, in a similar way, the Kane County 2015 budget is like a box of Cracker Jack: There are more than a few toy surprises in side.

Among those goodies are the capital improvement projects, and the 2015 Draft Budget — now available online and on display at the Kane County Clerk’s Office and other places at the Government Center — has several worthy of note.

Kane County Finance Department Executive Director Joe Onzick picked out the following “Top 7 Capital Projects in the 2015 Draft Budget.” It’s not David Letterman’s Top 10, but the list is pretty darned interesting, if you like to, you know, get to your driving destination.

Six of the seven are transportation-related. For your added information and reading pleasure, we included some links so that you can learn more about what’s going on. The Kane County Division of Transportation website also has a page with a timely Construction Update Report.

Major capital projects include:

(1) Construction of the Anderson Road extension;

(2) Phase I & II engineering for the Bunker Road realignment;

(3) Land acquisition and phase II engineering for the Huntley Road project;

(4) Construction of the I-90/IL47 interchange;

(5) Land acquisition, phase III engineering and construction for the Longmeadow Parkway corridor;

(6) Widening of IL Route 25 in the Stearns Road Bridge Corridor; and

(7) Implementation of the Court Case Management Software System that will benefit the Judiciary, Court Services, Circuit Clerk’s Office, State’s Attorney’s Office, Public Defender and Sheriff’s Office.

Read More

• Here is the link to the budget document on the county website.
• PART 1 OF 2-PART SERIES: 7 Key Points to 2015 Draft Budget