Happ Road game plan gains more direction

Northfield officials are ready to pick up speed on future revamps to the town’s signature roadway after an ad hoc advisory committee put the wheels in motion.

Village trustees during their Tuesday, March 24 Committee of the Whole session heard a presentation from the committee tasked with crafting a series of recommendations for the future of Happ Road.

Get up to speed

As previously reported by The Record, Northfield trustees in 2025 formed the Happ Road Improvement Committee shortly after discussions with Cook County ended regarding the village’s previous vision for the well-worn thoroughfare.

That prior plan, as detailed by The Record, included a proposal to add a roundabout to the intersection of Happ and Orchard Lane. But public opposition from residents and local business owners to the plans quickly grew.

The opposition culminated in a nonbinding referendum on the November 2024 ballot, which saw around 70% of voters say they did not want a roundabout built in Northfield. A month after the election, the Village Board unanimously agreed to take the roundabout off the table, The Record reported.

‘Ready for improvements’

Trustees asked the committee to “think big” and “create a visionary concept for Happ Road between Willow and Winnetka roads,” according to village documents. The goal, officials said, was to create recommendations for Northfield to “revitalize this key stretch of road” through the village’s downtown area, and only that area.

The committee included 13 village residents from a variety of backgrounds, past experiences and professional skills, said Debbie Papas, co-chair of the committee. Seven meetings across several months were held as part of the committee’s path to its recommendations presented on March 24, she said.

While noting that the body’s guiding question was considering what Happ Road should be for the village, Papas said two priorities, safety and aesthetics, quickly emerged in committee discussions.

Papas said safety referenced objectives like clearer crosswalks, better traffic flow and slower speeds while aesthetics referred to “creating a true main street — a place that is inviting, comfortable and reflective of Northfield’s character.”

To move toward its suggestions, the committee conducted outreach to both residents and the local business community via two surveys that focused on the priorities. Feedback, per Papas, was strong, with nearly 32% of residents and 25% of local businesses responding in the two-week period the surveys were open.

Responses showed “strong alignment” with the committee’s vision, Papas said, adding that “the message was resoundingly clear: Our businesses and our neighbors are ready for improvements to the Happ Road corridor.”

“Residents and businesses alike want a safer, more beautiful downtown,” Papas added. “One that is walkable, bikeable and inviting. A place where we can spend time, connect and enjoy our village. A place that we can proudly call the comfortable corner of the North Shore.”

With Northfield nearing its 100th anniversary of incorporation later this year, committee members also believe it’s an opportune time to move forward with improvements.

“Our commitment believes in your leadership and your commitment to moving our village forward,” Papas told the board. “I urge you to build on the momentum that has developed and the recommendations you have before you.

“As we approach our village centennial, this is our moment. It is time to act. It is time to reimagine Happ Road. It is time to look forward to its next 100 years.”

‘This is our chance to do’

The committee offered two phases of recommendations: a set of “near-term” actions for the first phase — which it suggested could take shape over the coming 12-24 months — and subsequent improvements in the following 24-48 months.

Committee co-chair Barnaby Dinges, a former trustee, highlighted those points during a short presentation to trustees.

Many of the suggestions cost “little or no money and can be started tomorrow,” Dinges said while noting that some of what the committee brought forward does also include financial commitments from the village.

“Let’s be clear: We will have to spend money on our downtown,” he noted. “That’s what successful villages do and so that will hopefully be part of this in the end.”

The top priority indicated in the survey, per Dinges, was the desire to clean up Northfield’s downtown. As part of that, the committee suggested developing a plan with the village’s public works department to clear weeds and litter daily from the downtown area and to enhance landscaping efforts in the central business corridor.

Another key desire was to enhance safety, with one of the core recommendations being to lower the speed limit on Happ Road to 25 mph. The installation of additional signage, particularly near the west side close to the library, was included as part of that.

Related, Phase 1 would include the creation of an ADA-compliant pedestrian crossing at Orchard Lane, Mount Pleasant Street and Happ Road Park, south of Holder land.

The committee also suggested planning and unveiling streetscape upgrades as part of Northfield’s centennial celebration. That could include enhancing Inspiration Park, which is the triangle park south of Village Hall, and potentially “sprucing up the northeast corner or Orchard Lane and Happ.”

The committee also wishes to pursuing conversations with Cook County leaders on ways Northfield can “exercise more control of Happ” through the downtown stretch and enlist a consultant to offer a detailed vision for development opportunities in the immediate area.

Potentially closing off a portion of Happ to vehicular traffic to host “village celebrations” and “community engagement opportunities” was also of the final Phase 1 suggestions.

The second phase took a more forward-looking perspective as committee members tabbed creating a dedicated sidewalk on Orchard that extends from Bosworth bridge to the library as one of its core visions.

It also suggested partnering with local landlords to create “safe, aesthetically pleasing walkways running east-west through the parking lots along Happ Road” and creating a village program to add more seating, landscaping and lighting on both sides of Happ from Willow to Happ Road Park.

The creation of a privately funded public art program that could bring “eye-catching pieces along Happ” as well as working with the village’s signage committee to install welcome and wayfinding signs and potentially construct a “gateway” into downtown were also suggestions highlighted in the committee’s report.

Before detailing the substance of the report, Dinges called this Northfield’s “chance to do.”

He also said “Happ Road needs a champion.”

“(Happ Road) needs someone who will wake up every day and say we’re going to make progress on this road. Because we can do it. We can definitely do it,” he said.

What’s next

Village President Tracey Mendrek and trustees lauded the committee for its extensive work in preparing the report. Mendrek also quickly affirmed the village’s commitment to moving Happ Road improvements forward.

“I did not start this committee to let this die on the vine after the report was given, so I want to be clear about that,” Mendrek said.

Happ Road consideration will go back on the board’s agenda in April, Mendrek said, adding that staff will begin working through some of the recommendations to see potential costs associated with some of the suggestions.

After additional conversation, the board will look to codify the report and continue to work on its development. From there, Northfield could schedule a meeting with Cook County officials to begin exploring improvements that require partnership between the agencies.

Mendrek noted the speed limit on Happ is one priority that has routinely come up and she said the village has already started conversations with the county on that.

The board, after its April meeting, will look to have four to five short-term priorities for which it can determine concrete next steps.

“I do think we have a really good blueprint for moving forward,” Mendrek said. “I hope that you will be patient with us for a little bit.”

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