Oswego To Improve Pedestrian Safety On Route 34

OSWEGO, IL — The officials are taking extra steps to ensure pedestrian safety, and with that in mind, the Oswego Village Board approved the hiring of Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd. of Rosemont to complete two separate engineering studies for traffic improvement on Route 34.

A motion was made by Trustee Judy Sollinger and seconded by Trustee Luis Perez to approve a resolution authorizing an agreement with the firm to prepare short-term safety improvement plans for $18,800 and long-term plans for $85,500.

Pedestrian safety along Route 34 in downtown Oswego has been a concern for village officials since the Illinois Department of Transportation widened the four lane highway between Jefferson Street and Route 31 in 1995.

In a memo to the village board, Jennifer Hughes, the village's public works director and village engineer, said the short-term plan will address the immediate need to highlight the existing 20 miles per hour speed limit in the downtown area for motorists and enhance the visibility of existing pedestrian crosswalks. This will include:

• Upgrade of existing and installation of new traffic signs
• Installation of radar feedback ("Your Speed Is") signs
• Upgrade of existing and installation of new pavement markings
• Traffic signal modifications to eliminate existing “split phasing” at the intersection of Route34 (Washington Street) and Route 31

The project contemplates adding signs and pavement markings in the Route 34 corridor from Jefferson Street to Route 31. The purpose of the signs is to reinforce the 20-mph speed limit by increasing the size and number of speed signs, providing radar feedback signs, and adding pavement markings to enhance crosswalks. The firm will prepare the plans, obtain permits, and coordinate and facilitate discussions with IDOT.

Village staff proposes to eliminate the "split phasing" at the intersection by Village
Hall. Currently, eastbound and westbound Washington Street do not get green lights at the same time. This "split" will increase the cycle time for the intersection, thereby increasing delay.

The firm's simulations suggest that if both directions receive green at the same time, flow through the intersection will be improved. The majority of the short-term improvements are expected to be completed in the fall, Hughes told the board at its meeting.

She said an increased level of engineering will be required for the long-term plan — focusing on improvements at the intersections of Route 34 and Main and Harrison streets — due to the "complexity of the design dictates that these improvements will take longer to implement." This will include:

• Traffic signal feasibility study
• Traffic signal installation/modification plans
• Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons modification plans
• Interconnecting new signals with the existing signals at the Route 31 and Route 34 intersection.
• Project management, coordination, and quality control/quality assurance

Hughes said the traffic signals will offer the most protection for pedestrians. In the event IDOT does not authorize them, the plan is to place RRFBs over the traffic lanes to improve visibility.
Should IDOT allow the signals, the RRFBs will not be designed.

The existing RRFBs at Main Street are located along the side of the road and Hughes told the board that residents have previously expressed that it is often difficult to see the signals, especially when in the center lane and a larger vehicle or truck is in the right lane. The new RRFBs will be designed so that the poles can be re-purposed for traffic signals once the warrants for signals are met.

"By putting those overhead, it would eliminate that excuse, if you will," Hughes said.

Construction of either the RRFBs or the signals will trigger improvements to sidewalk ramps and the adjacent walk to meet current standards. Burke will survey the area to locate utilities to minimize conflicts with new poles. The survey will also document the right-of-way in the vicinity of the improvements. The traffic signals will be interconnected so that traffic can move through the corridor in a synchronized fashion.

Studies and information gathered by the village will be presented to the state as soon as possible, with an intent to meet with state officials within the next month.
Downtown businesses have "split opinions" regarding what steps should be taken, but they all agree that something needs to be done, Hughes said.