Cut Speed Limit On Key La Grange Street: Resident

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange resident this week called for a reduced speed limit on South La Grange Road and better pedestrian crossing at 52nd Street.

These are not new suggestions.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, resident John Pluto pointed to the village's meeting minutes from 2010. Back then, a traffic engineering firm recommended the same measures on South La Grange Road.

At the time, KLOA called for changing the limit to 30 mph from 35 mph, which would require the state's approval.

The firm's study also suggested an improved crossing at 52nd Street. The firm indicated that few pedestrians crossed because of the dangers.

After KLOA's study, the village's next step on the speed limit was to petition the state Department of Transportation because the road is state-owned.

"That speed limit remains at 35 mph some 15 years later. Enough already," Pluto said.

He noted that La Grange Park was successful in its request for a lower speed limit on La Grange Road. In November, La Grange Park announced that the state approved its request to lower the speed limit to 25 mph from 30 mph between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street.

Trustee Beth Augustine said she couldn't agree more on the need for a safer crossing on South La Grange Road.

"I talked about it with some folks up here for years," she said. "We made sure that it was addressed in the comp(rehensive) plan, and we're talking about it in the south corridor study, and I really hope that we can get something done there and soon."

During Village Board meetings last year, a couple called for a lower speed limit and pedestrian safety measures on Brainard Avenue.