NEW SPEED LIMIT FOR 47TH STREET

Pedestrians crossing 47th Street between East Avenue at La Grange's border with Brookfield and McCook and Willow Springs Road at its border with Western Springs now have a greater safety measure on their side.

In addition to newly improved crosswalks and handicapped curb cuts in some sections of the state thoroughfare, the four-lane roadway is now posted -- as of Aug. 24 -- with new 30 mph speed limit signs, replacing the former 35 mph signs.

The new speed limit and appropriate signage was recently approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation at the request of the village, following the fatal accident just three months ago that claimed the life of a Countryside mother.

Cari Cook, 30, had been crossing the street at 8th Avenue, with her daughter in a baby stroller in front of her and her son and family dog in tow when she was struck by a passing motorist. That driver received traffic citations as a result, pleaded guilty in court and received probation.

The speed limit change was approved thanks to the bipartisan lobbying efforts of state Representatives Michael Zalewski and James Durkin, said Village President Liz Asperger at the Aug. 24 Village Board meeting.

"This has been a long effort ... by our staff," she said. "This is something we're very pleased to be able to enact as school comes back in session."

At the same meeting, trustees authorized a consultant group, KLOA, to study the appropriateness of speed adjustments along 47th Street -- where staff is suggesting a possible rollback to as low as 25 mph.

A resident of the 600 block of La Grange Road, who previously warned the board of federal studies which show a reduction of speed actually results in more accidents, cautioned village officials not to ask the consultant to study the impact of certain speeds. Asperger said she would take his request under consideration.

"I'm all for effective speed (adjustments) ... but the request for studies should be left very generic," the resident said. "You've asked KLOA to consider 30 or 25 mph, but we should ask them to evaluate appropriate speeds. I think the best way is not to say what we want speed limits to be."

Another resident, from the 600 block of South Edgewood Avenue, implored trustees to not just focus on 47th, but on the village's border with Western Springs where students cross Willow Springs Road to access Lyons Township High School's South campus.

See the big story regarding school and traffic safety in La Grange in The News this Wednesday.