Busy Lyons Street Is Plagued With Crashes; Residents Plead For Safety Measures
LYONS, Ill. (CBS) -- A single suburban street where more than 1,000 citations have been written in just the last year is plagued by crashes.
Neighbors are speaking out now, sharing their concerns with the stretch of Ogden Avenue between Prescott and Lawndale in west suburban Lyons.
The neighbors told CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey it's not even worth replacing the fences because cars jump the curb so often. They say Lyons Police are doing everything they can to stop it. But it's not enough.
"There's a squeal and a crunch sound," described resident Greg Chabala.
It's a jolting but familiar noise on Ogden.
"I'm just cringing thinking that somebody's going to get hurt," said resident Darlene Podgorny, who also lives on the bend.
Neighbors reached out to CBS 2 because they're worried that the property damage will soon be the least of their worries, citing concerns of children in the area getting injured.
They say cars and big trucks take the bend in the road way too fast, often crossing over the center line and leading to crashes.
CBS 2 looked into it and found at least 40 crashes on this short stretch in just the last four years.
"They're going 40-50 (mph) without a doubt. They have no respect," said neighbor William Bellivia.
Some wondered if traffic enforcement was the issue.
But CBS 2 discovered that Lyons Police have written more than 1,000 traffic citations during the last 12 months.
"I believe the Lyons Police Department is doing everything they can do but something else needs to be done," Podgorny said.
These residents said they'd like to see additional lights, signage, more guard rails, or even to have this stretch designated as a "no truck" route.
"We would really like to see more done because of the increased danger," neighbor Kathy Bryant said.
The Lyons' village manager said that they know this spot is a big problem. But Ogden is under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Transportation.
CBS 2 reached out to IDOT about it today and a spokesperson said they're going to take action.
IDOT can undertake a traffic engineering study to see if safety measures are necessary.
Neighbors say that study can't come soon enough.
"If it's radar signs or some other tool that IDOT has in its toolbelt that would be great," Chabala said.
IDOT also said nearby Joliet Road and Ogden Avenue has been identified as an intersection for reconstruction, but there's no timeline yet for that project.
