Near Misses At Western Springs Intersection: Residents

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Residents are asking Western Springs officials to make Franklin Avenue and 43rd Street a four-way stop because of increased traffic and low visibility.

Resident Emily Zimmerman, who is spearheading the effort, said a Change.org petition pushing the four-way stop has gathered 165 signatures.

"Moms in the neighborhood walked around with paper petitions. We had a very high percentage of people signing," Zimmerman said at last week's Village Board meeting. "The school district views it as a high priority."

Western Springs School District 101, she said, has placed a crossing guard at the intersection, a short-term solution because such positions are hard to fill. Also, a couple of parking spaces were removed to improve visibility, she said, but a four-way stop is the long-term solution.

"We have seen some near misses," Zimmerman said. "We had a recent accident where a car was totaled."

Another resident, Lara Delheimer, also is for the four-way stop.

"My children and I walk all the time," Delheimer said. "It's a very active intersection with children and families."

Now, 43rd Street has stop signs, while Franklin does not.

In 2018, a village traffic study found that a four-way stop was unnecessary because of a lack of traffic accidents. But higher enrollment at the nearby Field Park Elementary School and the establishment of the Music Makers school has increased traffic, Trustee Scott Lewis told the board.

Village President Alice Gallagher backed the residents.

"If our residents, are concerned about it and find that it is an issue, we are happy to support them in adding stop signs," she said. "We want kids safe going to school."

The board is expected to vote on the issue at a later meeting.