THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2006
Consultant Taking Closer Look At South Traffic Conditions
By DWIGHT ESAU
Journal Reporter
Traffic conditions around Maine South High School have improved somewhat, one city official said this week. However, a full study of traffic and parking conditions on the school's campus and on surrounding streets is underway.
Last fall, after a traffic accident on Talcott Road near the north end of the school's campus slightly injured a student going home from school, police and city officials instituted a couple of immediate things. They stationed a crossing guard on Talcott in an area where large numbers of students cross that heavily traveled street going to and from school, and they installed "School, Slower Speed" signs on Talcott near Hamlin Avenue, which runs along the east edge of the campus.
According to Dave Ellstrand, city engineer, the signs and guards are working to improve safety in the area, so far.
"But we have engaged HDR Inc., a traffic consulting firm, to look at all of the traffic and parking conditions in and around the school, to determine if we have other problems, and make some recommendations for solving them," Ellstrand said.
A report on this situation will be made by Ellstrand to the city council's Public Works Committee at 7:30 p.m. today (Wednesday) in city hall. Chairman of this committee is Ald. Kim Jones.
Also in the committee's agenda tonight is the proposed 2006 resurfacing program of 29 city streets, an update on recent discussions of the recently re-formed Uptown Parking Steering Committee, an update on the new Dee Park Metra station that is scheduled to open this spring, and a discussion of the proposed new cart waste collection program under consideration in the city's 2006-07 budget. This new program, while desired by most city officials, may be delayed beyond this year because the city may not be able to afford it.