Since opening about five years ago, Carle at the Fields has been called a successful development, providing community members with increased access to health care. 

Carle at the Fields is located by Interstate 57 and Curtis Road in Champaign. According to Carle, its providers at the Fields see more than 500 patients a day at both physician offices and the surgery center. The Champaign Surgery Center at The Fields completes over 13,000 surgical and procedural cases annually. 

The surge in patient numbers, while reflective of the facility’s positive impact on community health, has caused traffic to increase in the area. The influx of visitors has led to increased traffic congestion, especially during peak hours.

Data from the Illinois Department of Transportation shows a clear increase in traffic at the intersection of Curtis Road and Fields South Drive. Between 2014 and 2022, average daily traffic counts increased by 1,650, from 5,900 counts per day to 7,550 counts per day. 

Nicholas Crompton, Carle’s vice president of Construction and Facility Services, there have been no complaints of traffic despite the increased numbers. 

“Carle Health worked closely with the City of Champaign to develop the Carle at The Fields campus and continue to partner with them as we serve the region. We have not received any complaints about traffic on The Fields campus from the community,” Crompton said. 

On the northern side of The Fields, there was an increase of about 450 in average daily traffic counts from 2018 to 2021 on Windsor Road near I-57, from 8,000 counts per day to 8,450 counts per day. 

Windsor Road near Fields South Drive saw an increase of 500 daily traffic counts from 2018 to 2021, from 5,600 counts per day to 6,100 counts per day.      

Traffic data is not available for 2022 and 2023.