We’ve got a rare opportunity to enhance pedestrian and vehicular safety and calm down drivers by eliminating all those anger-producing traffic jams on North Avenue – but only if enough residents submit comments before June 10 supporting the key choices that can achieve these goals.
Currently Elmwood Park and River Forest are collaborating on the North Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project that runs from Thatcher to Harlem. The May 13 Open House was a great opportunity to see the initial plans – not yet set in concrete (no pun intended) – and to offer feedback.
But only a small fraction of residents could attend.
If we, the people, can persuade the powers that be, the North Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project can finally make North Avenue safer for pedestrians and drivers and eliminate the worst traffic jams that plague River Forest’s northern boundary.
Adopting the following features will enable North Avenue to run more smoothly and safely for both pedestrians and vehicles:
(1) Eliminate the eastbound backups at 75th Avenue by Johnnie’s Beef and Spizzico Pizza & Pasta by installing a stoplight and a left-turn lane plus arrow for eastbound traffic. This will not only provide safe passage for all those pedestrians currently risking life and limb crossing North Avenue, but also end the lengthy traffic jams caused by drivers turning left onto 75th to enjoy the wonderful dining experiences available between 74th and 76th. Those traffic jams only make drivers angry as they recklessly dart out of the backed-up left lane. Think of this as real-life traffic calming.
(2) Eliminate the westbound backups at Jackson generated by drivers turning left to go to our underappreciated, but beloved Fresh Thyme Market grocery store and St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church by installing a left-turn lane for westbound traffic. A traffic light isn’t feasible or necessary there’s already one a block west at Lathrop. Again, this is real-life traffic calming.
(3) Make traffic flow smoother and safer by not installing bump outs at the beginning of each block so that drivers can just pull into that first parking space instead of blocking traffic by parallel parking.
With these three actions – and likely a few others as well – the North Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project will actually promote pedestrian and vehicular safety and calmer, less reckless drivers frustrated by the aggravating and dangerous obstacles North Avenue currently poses.
So be sure to submit your comments in support of these improvements and others that come to mind to Matt Huffman, project manager, at mhuffman@cbbel.com or by phone at 847-823-0500 before June 10 when the comment period closes.
Dan Lauber, AICP, is a past president of the American Planning Association and twice of the American Institute of Planners. He originally intended to become a transportation planner before finding his calling.