'Aggressive Driving' Mars Downtown La Grange: Resident

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange resident on Monday joined others in calling on local police to step up enforcement of traffic laws.

For years, the department's statistics show that its traffic stops have plunged by more than 70 percent.

At a Village Board meeting, resident Randy Valenta urged police to go after "aggressive driving."

He said he has a good vantage point in seeing violations downtown. He lives above a store in the 10 block of South La Grange Road.

Drivers, Valenta said, are constantly violating the rule against left turns onto La Grange Road from eastbound Calendar Avenue.

"It's a very dangerous place to do that," he said. "What they are doing is crossing that newly painted crosswalk."

Despite the stop signs before the crosswalk, Valenta said, "very aggressive" drivers refuse to stop. Instead, they give pedestrians "other gestures as to what we can do with our concerns," he said.

Speeding and noise are other issues that affect the "warm and friendly" feeling that officials are vying for downtown, Valenta said.

"For somebody sitting at Kama Bistro or Steak and Vine, having a car roaring by them at 45 mph or playing some loud stereo is going to take that warm and friendly feeling right out of them," Valenta said.

Other residents have spoken at recent Village Board meetings about their concerns about traffic violations.

After Valenta's comments, Trustee Lou Gale repeated his previous request to the police department: "Light these people. Give them some tickets."

Village President Mark Kuchler said local police officers know the issue and that they're doing the best they can. He said Valenta's message can be relayed to the police department.

"We know the police department takes your words very seriously," Kuchler said.