Although it is considered as a second Fidel playing for Chicago, the suburbs defeated the city in an undesirable category last year – deadly pedestrians and cycle traffic accidents.
The Illinois Department of Transportation reported 249 deadly vehicle collisions involving state -wide cyclists and pedestrians in 2023. Of them, 104 were about 42%in suburbs, about 25%in Chicago compared to 63.
Cook County’s suburbs had the highest number of 57, followed by Duppage County 16, Lake with 15, with eight, seven with Kane and one with McHeenry, according to the initial figures.
Across Illinois, deadly accidents with bikes and pedestrians increased by about 7% in 2023 compared to 2022.
More people have been cycling and running since Covid -19, Maggi Sezerwinski, said the director of the Community Building for the active transport alliance. But the suburban infrastructure can be problematic, he said.
“Our suburban roads are designed to prioritize cars. We are finishing our roads, we have broad intersections in the suburbs, we allow for fast speed, ”he said. “Walking with more people is willing to be around or around bikes, it is a recipe for safety issues.”
The struggle is playing in Vheeton, where a long search resolution is near the busy Roosevelt Road (Route 38) to install traffic lights.
St. Francis High School leaders and residents of the Marion Park apartment give an indication in their neighborhood that they will save their lives.
According to IDOT, “1,900 cars are passed by our school by one hour,” said Phil Kerr, president of St. Francis, which is equivalent to about 32 cars every 2 seconds. “It is very dangerous.”
On the north side of the Roosevelt, from school and apartments, a target, a popular mall with restaurants and parking sites that use some students.
The result is innumerable teenagers and Marion Park seniors who are dodging rapidly growing traffic to reach nearby facilities.
From 2009 to 2023, nine pedestrians occurred in the surrounding area, state and city officials said. One person died and eight suffered injuries. Many of the victims were residents of Marion Park.
St. Francis has paid $ 20,000 to $ 30,000 per year to the Veheton police to direct traffic on Roosevelt when classes begin and end.
Now, private school has promised to pay up to $ 816,000 for traffic signals and related street lighting, which has given momentum to the project.
Last week, the Veton City Council gave a thumb to the target and a light in the school’s Nexus. Many details still need to formally prepare and work with IDOT – which owns Route 38 – on financing and other institutions.
St. Francis plans to secure a loan from a beneficiary and pay with fees, with the money raising and the possible grants.
IDOT studied the region in 2019 and concluded due to accident history and pedestrian traffic, but it was acceptable but it could not provide funds.
Meanwhile, it may take a few years to install the signal. Officials want to coordinate the project with major improvements in the west in Roosevelt and County Farm Road.
The stakeholders have advocated security reforms since the 1990s.
“If it is to be two more years, it should be,” Kerr said. “But we are essentially rolling the dice every day that no one is killed or does not get hurt from there. Whatever we are going to do is to reach the finish line.”
In a planning meeting last week, Weon Mayor Phil Sus said, “The fact that St. Francis is able to come forward with money, quite clearly, the key to pursue it. I think there is no question that it is going to flourish.”
Seven pedestrians, mostly senior, were killed by vehicles between the county farm and FAPP Circle, IDOT from 2009 to 2016. One person died and six suffered injuries, which caused four serious injuries. There were six accidents after the darkness.
Weon police said that between 2017 and 2023, there were 83 non -Traffic traffic conflicts in the area. Among them, 63 property damage occurred and 20 individual injuries occurred; Two included pedestrians.
Daily Herald Staff Reporter Calin Smith contributed to this report.
Suburbs lead in malignant bikes, pedestrian collision as a collision for wealth