This morning (May 21), I witnessed an accident on Division Street, in the crosswalk at Woodbine Avenue. [4-year-old hit by car near Mann Elementary School, Web extra, May 21] A young boy was hit by a car that did not decelerate; the driver braked only moments before hitting the child. At least six other people were in the crosswalk at that time. Happily (miraculously) the child is reported to be uninjured, but his family, and the many children and adults who saw the accident take place, will live with it for a long time.
Last month I attended a meeting of the public works department where the danger of this crosswalk was discussed at length. People from the neighborhood expressed their grave concerns about the likelihood of just such an accident occurring. YouTube footage of traffic on different days, times and in varying weather conditions was presented. It wasn’t the first time such concerns have been expressed to the village. Unfortunately, there is real resistance to installing a stop sign there, even though the crosswalk is in frequent, daily use and is a part of the south entrance to Field Park, and the yield to pedestrians signage is not (apparently) enforced.
A stop sign is not a perfect solution, but it is far better than the existing measures, which amount to no measures at all and leave residents vulnerable to injury and worse, and the village to serious liability issues.
Jacquelyn Pope
Oak Park
