Changes To Road in Clarendon Hills?

CLARENDON HILLS, IL — In response to residents' concerns, the Clarendon Hills Village Board is considering changes to make Chicago Avenue west of Route 83 safer. At a November meeting, residents told the board they were worried about speeding, car accidents and pedestrian safety on Chicago Avenue, from Route 83 to Woodstock Avenue.

The village may hire a firm to perform a traffic study on Chicago Avenue, particularly during the peak times for the two schools in the neighborhood, Prospect Elementary and Clarendon Hills Middle School. Traffic backups occur during dropoff and pickup times at the schools, Brendan McLaughlin, the village's public works director, said in a memo to the village board.

The village has received suggestions to reduce the speed limit on Chicago, make Coe Road at Chicago a four-way stop and move traffic from Middaugh Road to Coe.

According to the memo, Chicago and Coe have been a particular headache. A recent accident ocurred when a southbound driver on Coe turning left waved a northbound driver through the intersection, but unfortunately, the driver did not check east-west traffic, causing the collision, McLaughlin said.

After residents expressed their concerns, the village prohibited cars heading north on Norfolk Avenue, which is the extension of Coe south of Chicago Avenue, from turning right at a western wedge that was intended for left turns, the memo said. Also, pedestrian crossing signs, the document said, were added at Norfolk and Chicago for east-west pedestrians. And the village board approved the purchase of more speed alert signs.

McLaughlin said the board could choose to undertake a traffic study this spring or wait to see how the new signage works and decide on action later. A traffic study is estimated to cost $9,500 to $9,750, an expenditure that was not budgeted.