River Forest residents living on LeMoyne Street, Division Street and sections of Clinton Place and Greenfield Street should see a decrease in heavy truck traffic in their neighborhoods following action taken by officials at the Aug. 12 Village Board meeting.
Officials voted unanimously to add those streets to the list of “limited load streets” in the village. The section of Clinton affected is from North Avenue to Lake Street and the section of Greenfield affected is from Park to Harlem avenues.
Officials also voted unanimously to modify existing weight restrictions from 5,000 to 10,000 pounds.
In recommending the increase to the weight limit, Jack Bielak, director of public works and engineering, explained that the lower weight limit would affect vehicles other than the heavy trucks that are the target. He noted that a standard Tesla Model X weighs 5,307 pounds and would be in violation of the existing ordinance.
Village Administrator Matt Walsh said the streets were added to the “limited load” list to deter heavy truck traffic coming through the village from North and from Harlem.
Police Chief Jim O’Shea said warnings would be issued for 30 days after the changes take effect, which Walsh estimated would not be until public works staff members have installed new signage.
O’Shea said the changes will not apply to trucks picking up and making deliveries in the village. He also noted the police department uses its own portable scales to weigh trucks suspected of being over the limit.
In a memo to Walsh, Bielak said village staff members had reviewed village-wide traffic flow “for several months.”
“Based on this analysis, discussions and feedback,” he recommended that the streets be added to the “limited load” list to “prevent unnecessary truck traffic” in the village.
“By adding these streets, the village would address concerns regarding cut-through traffic,” he added.
Bielak said officials first approved a weight limit ordinance in 1981 but only updated it once, in 1992.
In recommending the weight limit change, he said changes in technology and features that are included in modern cars “severely reduces” which vehicles are permitted on certain village streets.
Bielak said the 10,000 pound-limit will still apply to most commercial type vehicles.