The DeKalb City Council has given the go-ahead for a transportation study to assess transportation needs in the area for the next 20 years.

The study, which will create a long-range transportation plan, is the first major planning project for the DeKalb-Sycamore Area Transportation Study to examine transportation needs for the area, said Ray Keller, city planner and DSAT director.

DeKalb City Manager Mark Biernacki said the study will look at current and future transportation needs for Cortland, DeKalb and Sycamore and prioritize those needs for the future.

“The ultimate goal will be to provide more efficient travel for residents and visitors,” said Linda Wiggins, DeKalb administrative services director. “Potential projects include improvements of roads and intersections to maximize efficiency.”

The study, approved by the city council April 12, should be completed by January or February 2005, Keller said.

URS Corporation has been hired as a consultant to facilitate the study, gather and interpret transportation information and give recommendations for future improvements, Wiggins said.

The 12-month contract with URS Corporation is effective immediately, and implementation of recommendations would be taken into consideration by the city council, Wiggins said.

Keller said the consultants could identify specific expansions involving everything from additional bike facilities to the impact of the proposed Prairie Parkway that could create a north-south transportation artery in the region.

“Managing and optimizing traffic flow and efficiency will be a main goal,” Keller said.

Two federal planning grants will pay for the plan, Wiggins said.

The Illinois Department of Transportation distributes federal funds set aside specifically for regional transportation improvements, which then are managed as grants by communities, Keller said.

Biernacki estimates the total costs for the consultants and the study will be about $130,000.

“This entire process provides opportunities for DeKalb, Sycamore and IDOT to work together to relieve problems,” Keller said. “Transportation trouble doesn’t stop at municipal boundaries.”