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Residents Concerned About Traffic Crashes Near Merrimac

CHICAGO (CBS) --  It has been the site of four crashes in just a five month period this year alone.

Now neighbors in one southwest side community are calling for changes to be made before anyone else is endangered.

CBS 2's Meredith Barack reports from Garfield Ridge with their concerns.

Renee Diaz lives just steps away from West 55th on South Merrimac Avenue.

"I've heard tons of crashes. I've had to go out there," Diaz said. "We've had neighbors run down the street to make sure people are okay."

"It's always really upsetting because you don't know what you're going to walk out to," Diaz said. "We will hear the crash from our home and we will basically take our phones and run down the street to see if people are okay."

There have been four crashes at the intersection already this year. And while no one was injured, Diaz said it's only a matter of time.

"It scares me to think that something as simple as going to the grocery store can get you killed," Diaz said. "But I would like something done before that happens."

Diaz showed CBS 2 the yard that a car went into last summer and believes the crashes are occurring for two reasons.

"We are looking at cars zooming past both directions all day," Diaz said. "And then this little chicken game of people either trying to cross onto Merrimac or down Merrimac across 55th or they're trying to turn left or right."

Diaz said it all comes down to making her neighborhood safer as soon as possible.

"I think the best solution is probably going to look more like a speed camera so that the speeding can stop and maybe getting some no parking zones on the corners," Diaz said. "I feel like would be really helpful because at that corner there seems to be a blind spot. I'm hoping that, you know, something can change."

Diaz said she reached out Alderman Marty Quinn (13th) more than once, yet the alderman said he wasn't aware of the concerns. But Quinn said he would reach out to CDOT and evaluate what can be done in the area.

 

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