I commend the village for making the school areas safer by installing new signs or adding more signs. [What’s with all the new stop signs in Oak Park?, News, Dec. 16] One intersection that is worthy of more attention is Woodbine and Division next to Mann School and Field Park. There have been at least three different “Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk” signs put up in the middle of the street on Division, and all have either been damaged or stolen – and now there are none.
The main crosswalk for Mann School on the south is a block to the east at Kenilworth and Division. There are still a lot of parents and students who use Woodbine to cross Division to enter the school’s property. In addition to the school, there are good a number of people who use the park that enter from Woodbine, as well. Those include players, coaches and fans, all of whom come out to participate or watch an event at one of the park fields. Many of them, like school parents, park on Woodbine and cross over Division to access the park or school.
Other people crossing at Woodbine are dog walkers, parents or guardians taking toddlers and young children to the park to play, or just plain walkers and bikers who enjoy the park and its path.
I hope the village can find a reasonable solution to slow traffic down so we all can cross safely and enjoy the park, as well as get to school safely.
J. Martin Konecki
Oak Park
