Kane County Employees Adopt A Highway in Memory of Steve Chidester
Kane County road-maintenance worker Steve Chidester will be remembered as part of the Kane County Adopt-A-Highway Program.
Steve Chidester
The Kane County Executive Committee today (July 6, 2016) recommended the full County Board pass a resolution Tuesday approving this season’s applicants for the Adopt-A-Highway program, which supports anti-litter efforts by allowing groups of private citizens to adopt a segment of highway for the purpose of litter and refuse collection.
Kane County co-workers adopted a 3.8-mile segment of Harter Road, from Scott to Seavey in memory of Chidester, the 44-year-old Kane County Division of Transportation worker who died May 19 after being struck by a Ford F250 pickup on that stretch of road in Blackberry Township.
Chidester was a four-year KDOT employee described by KDOT Director Carl Schoedel as someone who was tough as nails on the outside, but a caring person with a warm heart. He was married to Lorraine Chidester, an employee of the county’s IT Department, whom he fell in love with on July 4, 1991, and wedded on May 4, 1996, according to his obituary, published on the Conley Funeral Home website.
Other new adopters named in the resolution are the The Swedberg Family (1.25 miles of Kirk Road), The Forbes Family (0.625 of Fabyan Parkway) and The Mabe Family (1 mile of Randall Road).
Kane County Transportation Committee Chair Drew Frasz remembered Chidester as a hard worker who was beloved by members of the KDOT family.
“They took on a big stretch of that road to take care of in honor of Steve,” he said. “I thought it was a grand gesture by the employees.”
RESOLUTION APPROVING ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY PROGRAM APPLICANTS
WHEREAS, the Illinois Highway Code of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (605 ILCS 120/1 et seq.) provides for the establishment of Adopt a Highway Programs by counties and various units of government throughout the State of Illinois to support anti-litter efforts by allowing groups of private citizens to adopt a segment of highway for the purpose of litter and refuse collection; and
WHEREAS, the County has enacted and otherwise established, pursuant to Kane County Board Ordinance No. 13-267, the Kane County Adopt-A-Highway Program in conformance with the Illinois Highway Code, which program is intended to assist the County in its efforts to remove refuse and litter from County highway right of way and otherwise beautify the County Highway System; and
WHEREAS, those groups whose names are set forth in the list below (a copy of which is on file in the office of the Kane County Clerk) have submitted applications for participation in the Kane County Adopt-A-Highway Program; and
WHEREAS, each of the groups’ applications have been reviewed and approved by the County Engineer of Kane County and have subsequently been approved by the Transportation Committee of the Kane County Board; and
WHEREAS, the approval of the applicants for participation in the Kane County Adopt-A- Highway Program will facilitate the County’s litter collection efforts on County highways and will aid in the beautification of all County highways whether in urban or rural areas of the County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the County Board of Kane County that the applicant(s) listed below for participation in the Kane County Adopt-A-Highway Program are hereby approved.
|
Applicant |
Road |
Distance |
|
Kane County Division of Transportation (New) |
Harter Rd. – Scott to Seavey |
3.80 mile (both sides) |
|
The Swedberg Family (New) |
Kirk Rd. – Division to Route 38 |
1.25 miles (east side) |
|
The Forbes Family (New) |
Fabyan Pkwy. – Hughes to Kaneville |
0.625 mile (south side) |
|
The Mabe Family (New) |
Randall Rd. – Route 72 to Binnie |
1.00 mile (east side) |
|
BSA Troop 7 Elburn (Renewal) |
Hughes Rd. – Bunker to Fabyan |
3.00 miles (both sides) |
|
Batavia Lions Club (Renewal) |
Main St. – Bliss to Green |
2.00 miles (both sides) |
|
The Phillips Family (Renewal) |
Peck Rd. – Kaneville to Keslinger |
0.75 mile (both sides) |
|
St. Charles Kiwanis Noon Club (Renewal) |
Randall Rd. – Dean to Route 64 |
0.50 mile (west side) |
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Engineer of Kane County is hereby directed to notify all applicant(s) of the approval of their application and to execute, on behalf of the County of Kane, the Kane County Adopt-A-Highway Program Agreement with said applicant(s).
