A request from Pleasant District business leaders for a right-turn-only restriction at Wisconsin Avenue and Washington Boulevard has landed the intersection on the village’s review list.
The “pork chop divider” as trustees referred to it during their Sept. 4 meeting, creates confusion for pedestrians and often unsafe conditions, according to village staff and concerned residents who live in the neighborhood.
The Oak Park Transportation Commission addressed those concerns in June, and at last week’s meeting a list of three items were suggested for consideration by the village board. Although the commission suggested installing enhanced pedestrian crosswalk signage, it recommended denying the request to remove the right-turn only restrictions at the intersection. The group also suggested that staff work with the Illinois Department of Transportation to determine if the intersection qualifies for traffic signals.
“I think your transportation commission and your standards staff have hit the nail on the head with what’s needed at the intersection,” nearby resident Jim Kiel said, “that it needs a lot of improvements, primarily to promote pedestrian safety.”
Kiel finds the corner dangerous and he’s concerned about the recommendation to wait for the state to move forward with the project.
It was later explained that Washington Boulevard is an unmarked state highway so any measure related to traffic control must be approved and maintained by the state.
Resident Kari McCarthy, who also lives in the area, said she agrees the right-turn only is difficult to enforce without a stoplight.
“People just swerve around me,” she said. “They don’t pause, they just swerve. We need to get cars and pedestrians going the same way.”
Michael Koperniak, a village engineer and staff liaison to the transportation commission, said a study of the intersection showed roughly a fourth of the cars violate the right-turn-only rule. Although the village has the power to remove that restriction, since it’s on village property, he said installing a traffic light would need approval from IDOT.
He said removing the restriction may only increase pedestrian problems at the intersection and instead recommended moving forward with getting approval for a traffic light.
Loretta Daly, the village’s business services manager, said after speaking with many business owners in the Pleasant District (formerly the South/Marion business district) they are looking for ways to better connect to other business districts.
“They are somewhat isolated,” she said. “And when you think of the makeup of that district, it becomes even more problematic.”
Trustee Ray Johnson said he’s not opposed to removing the restriction but said the village can’t move forward without knowing what the state will approve. Otherwise, it’s like “putting the cart ahead of the horse.”
“Pedestrian safety is of the utmost concern,” Johnson said. “None of this is mutually exclusive. The business community is looking at increased access into their district, so removing the right turn only is something I could support, but only if we could increase and improve the pedestrian safety components as well.”
Concerns about how quickly the state could act on such a request were raised by residents as well as Trustee Glenn Brewer, who asked how the village could “fast-track” an application in order to get an added stoplight on Washington Boulevard.
President David Pope agreed the current system is not working, since about 28 percent of users are ignoring the signs, and he said the village will be reaching out to every level possible at IDOT to address the issue.
Overall, until a traffic light can be installed, Koperniak said increased pedestrian signage and road striping are the village’s best options.
It was recommended the board wait on its decision about the right-turn-only restriction, but trustees asked staff to move forward with reviewing options for enhanced pedestrian crosswalk signage and determining if the intersection qualifies for a stoplight.
