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News
Stop signs sought near Lakewood Creek School : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisStop signs sought near Lakewood Creek School
| Montgomery Board told of safety concerns at Providence Lane, Prescott Drive
| by John Etheredge
| 9/13/2012
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A Montgomery resident asked the village board Monday evening to make the intersection of Providence Lane and Prescott Drive in the Blackberry Crossing Subdivision a four-way stop.
Currently the intersection is a two-way stop, with motorists east and west-bound on Providence Lane having to stop for traffic.
Colleen Nedrow told the board she has lived in her home on Prescott Drive at the intersection on the village's far west side for the past two years and her concern for the safety of pedestrians "has steadily increased."
Nedrow noted she can see the intersection from her home office.
Nedrow said she and her neighbors are concerned with speeding motorists and a lack of attention shown by some drivers traveling through the intersection.
"But our greater concern is with the pedestrians who cross this intersection daily to get to (Lakewood Creek Elementary) school," she said.
"Doing my own, non-scientific testing, I can tell you on a daily basis there are on average 85 people who cross this intersection twice a day. One day I counted 102 in the afternoon, that didn't include the pets that go with them (the pedestrians)," Nedrow said, adding, "The number of near-misses in the last two weeks have totaled 37."
Nedrow said fences, parked cars and trees block motorists' and pedestrians' views of the intersection.
"Drivers and pedestrians alike can't see what's at the intersection until just before entering it," she said.
She added that many motorists use Prescott Drive during school hours to avoid the heavier traffic on nearby Lakewood Creek Drive.
Nedrow said she has learned the village's public works department previously studied the intersection and determined a four-way stop was not needed due to the low traffic volume.
Nedrow agreed the intersection does not meet the criteria for a stop sign based on traffic volume, but maintained the intersection "more than surpasses" other criteria for a stop sign based on pedestrian traffic.
"There are dozens upon dozens of families that use that intersection to get to Lakewood Creek Elementary," she said. "It is also used by children going to bus stops for Traughber Junior High and Oswego High."
Due to the conditions at the intersection, Nedrow said she fears for the lives of her four children and others that use the intersection.
"This is not melodramatic-this is reality," she said. "You can tell us there is not enough car traffic to support a four-way stop sign, but it only takes one car to kill a child."
Nedrow noted that over 100 people have signed an online petition she started for stop signs, including 45 who signed the petition within 30 minutes of it being placed online.
Responding to Nedrow's presentation, Village President Marilyn Michelini said she has ordered village staff to re-evaluate the intersection for the possible installation of stop signs.
"I appreciate that, thank you very much," Nedrow said.
Promise more Seasons
Ridge bike path patrols
In other business Monday evening, Police Chief Dan Meyers told the board village police will increase their presence along the bike path in the Seasons Ridge Subdivision just north of U.S. Route 30 after the state widens the highway to five lanes over the next two years.
As part of the project, contractors for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will install a 16 foot tall concrete sound wall between the widened highway and the existing bike path.
The sound wall is designed to limit traffic noise in Seasons Ridge, but will also visually screen the bike path from the highway. The bike path adjoins the backyards of several homes.
"We will increase our patrols," Meyers said, adding, "There is an entrance right off of Route 30 that we can (use to) get on the trail and we've talked about additional lighting on the trail."
Board member Denny Lee asked Meyers to comment after a Seasons Ridge homeowner questioned the board about the steps that will be taken to insure the safety of those who use the path as well as the adjoining homeowners after the wall is installed.
The homeowner also told the board that she expects the amount of graffiti on her fence to increase after the sound wall is installed.
"The police department will do everything in its power to make sure it is safe back there," Meyers said.
The path is owned and maintained by the Oswegoland Park District.
In June board members voiced support to a park district request to have IDOT relocate the path on the highway side of the wall. IDOT, officials, however, notified village and park district officials last month that it would cost approximately $245,000 to re-locate the path and make revisions to plans for the sound wall.
IDOT officials also notified the village and park district that they would have to pay to re-locate the path.
In addition, IDOT officials said changing the path's location would serve to delay the start of construction on the Route 30 project. The agency is scheduled to seek contractor bids for the project this fall.
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