Village Addresses Illinois Highway Safety Issues

New Lenox is looking to improve safety for drivers and students along Illinois Highway. 

During a streets committee meeting this week, village trustee Annette Bowden said she witnessed a couple near misses at Illinois Highway and Gear Drive. The reason is that the road suddenly narrows at Gear, but the only indication of it is a few arrows pointing left.

"I think it's an accident waiting to happen," Bowden said.

Drivers might think the extra-wide road is actually two lanes, and that's resulted in stacking of cars, with one treating it as a right-turn lane and blocking the line of sight for drivers on Gear.

Village staff suggested possibly striping the right side to indicate that the lane narrows. Public Works Supt. Ron Sly also suggested possibly extending the bike lanes on the north side of Illinois Highway. There is an existing bike lane that runs just west of Cedar Road, but it stops near Western Avenue.

The committee members agreed that once Nelson Road is extending, there won't be as many problems at this intersection because Gear Drive won't be as busy of a road.

Lincoln-Way West officials also asked the village to find ways to make Illinois Highway safer for students, some of whom walk or bike down the street because there's no sidewalk.

Right now, a sidewalk isn't feasible, board members said. One possibility is a three-way stop that would at least slow traffic along Illinois Highway. Currently there's a stop sign on Nelson Road, but none along Illinois Highway going east or west.

"This may be a temporary solution until we have our final solution," trustee Ray Tuminello said.