Streetlights Out Near Elmhurst Fatal Crash Site: Records

ELMHURST, IL – At least three times, Elmhurst's streetlights were reported to be off in the area of last month's fatal crash – both before and after, according to city documents.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained the correspondence related to the problem.

The city has not determined whether the streetlights were a factor in the Jan. 26 death of 74-year-old Elmhurst resident Rosemary Rice. She died about 6:30 a.m. while crossing York at the intersection with Diversey Avenue.

In an email to Patch this week, city spokeswoman Kassondra Schref said the crash remains under investigation.

She said local police and a multi-agency crash reconstruction team have not finished their reports. Such inquiries can take months.

On Jan. 15, 11 days before the crash, Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram emailed city staffers that the streetlights on North York Street, from Crestview Avenue going north, were out. He said he wasn't sure how far north.

The next day, Cori Tiberi, the city's assistant public works director, told Bram that city workers just replaced a part in a control box and that the lights were back on.

"We definitely need lights with those new medians!" she said.

On Jan. 23, Bram emailed Tiberi again that the streetlights were out on North York from Crestview to Grand Avenues, which includes Diversey.

Tiberi again informed city crews.

The next day, Tiberi told Bram that electrical workers found a fault between the pole and the streetlight controller. She said the crew would go out the following day to evaluate and complete the best repair possible.

"Due to snow and frozen ground conditions, a permanent repair may not be possible," she said. "We can do a temporary repair (run the connection overhead) until spring when underground repairs can be done. We will do our best to get the lights on asap."

Later that afternoon, Tiberi emailed Bram that the lights were on, except for the ones at Crestview Avenue and Industrial Drive. She said the city would coordinate the remaining repairs as soon as possible.

A day after Rice's death, the city received a complaint through its citizen request system. A person wrote, "Please repair the York St lights in the area of York-Diversey ASAP due to serious crash in the area."

On Jan. 30, the city informed the person that the lights were back on.

A day later, a person informed the city through the request system that the lights turn off when it is still dark and then turn on when it is light out in the middle of the day.

The crash happened while there was partial fog and rain, police said. Rice lived in a townhome complex northeast of York and Diversey.

Residents have long pushed for a traffic light at the intersection. Rice's daughter told the City Council last month that her mother complained about the safety there.