Elmhurst May Eye Traffic In 2 Neighborhoods

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst committee recommended this week that the city hire a consultant to study traffic in two local neighborhoods.

Such an inquiry would follow one last year in the College View neighborhood, which includes York High School and Elmhurst College.

The City Council is set to decide on whether to hire Rosemont-based KLOA for $50,000 to study the two other areas.

The first neighborhood, which includes part of downtown, is bounded by North Avenue on the north, York Street on the east, First Street and Highland Avenue on the south, and Route 83 on the west.

The other neighborhood, which includes Pioneer Park, is bordered by St. Charles Road on the north, York Street on the east, Madison Street on the south, and Spring Road on the west.

The city hopes to examine up to 16 sections of town to improve traffic flow. Officials say this is better than approving each request for stop signs and other features independently without considering larger patterns.

Officials earlier this year called for putting up stop signs in at least one direction at every residential intersection. They also proposed doing away with yield signs.

The proposed studies measure traffic speeds, volumes and crash history.

At this week's meeting of the Public Affairs and Safety Committee, Alderman Guido Nardini said he liked overall traffic studies, rather than deciding on case-by-case requests for stop signs.

But he advised the city to pick up the pace of the studies, so residents don't have to wait too long for needed changes.

Alderman Mike Brennan agreed with the need to compress all the neighborhood studies. He suggested they be done within five years.

The committee voted unanimously to recommend the two new neighborhood studies.