Future of the Fox River: Burtons Bridge to Johnsburg

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With support from CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, McHenry County Department of Planning and Development and City of McHenry Department of Economic Development are leading a collaborative effort to develop a Fox River Corridor Plan that will focus on:

  • Commerce within central business districts adjacent to the river's edge
  • Environment and natural resources (including water resources)
  • Multi-modal connections to/on the river
  • Public access and recreational use to/on the river and adjacent to business districts

We want to hear from you!

Public input is crucial to developing a plan that is driven by the needs and vision of the community. Click on the blue tabs below to learn more about the project and share your ideas about the future of the Fox River from Burtons Bridge to Johnsburg. Additional opportunities to tell us what you think will be added to the site as we move through the planning process.



With support from CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, McHenry County Department of Planning and Development and City of McHenry Department of Economic Development are leading a collaborative effort to develop a Fox River Corridor Plan that will focus on:

  • Commerce within central business districts adjacent to the river's edge
  • Environment and natural resources (including water resources)
  • Multi-modal connections to/on the river
  • Public access and recreational use to/on the river and adjacent to business districts

We want to hear from you!

Public input is crucial to developing a plan that is driven by the needs and vision of the community. Click on the blue tabs below to learn more about the project and share your ideas about the future of the Fox River from Burtons Bridge to Johnsburg. Additional opportunities to tell us what you think will be added to the site as we move through the planning process.


  • Planning Study Area

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    23 Sep 2020
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    The Fox River is one of the region's greatest public assets. Historically, it has played a major role in shaping the region’s landscape, both natural and developed, but today its full potential remains unrealized.

    The study area for this planning project spans five communities, conservation areas, nature preserves, and parks over a distance of eight miles from Burtons Bridge at Route 176 on the south end to North Chapel Hill Road in Johnsburg on the north end. Municipalities within the study area include McHenry, Johnsburg, Holiday Hills, and Prairie Grove.

    The project builds on the foundation of two previous Fox River Corridor plans—one for Villages of Algonquin and Carpentersville (completed in December 2015) and another for McHenry and Lake Counties (completed in September 2018). However, this project is ultimately a blank slate upon which priorities can emerge through the planning process.