North Aurora will stick to stop signs, hold off on medians

For now, North Aurora will not add medians to slow down residential racers on the village's west side, officials said Monday.

Last week, the village board approved a four-way stop at the Sycamore Lane and Birchwood Drive intersection to slow speeders and was considering adding medians to help further calm traffic.

The village has known that drivers have seen Sycamore's wide and straight lanes from Oak Street north into the Mooselake Estates subdivision as something akin to a drag strip, but officials hope the sign will be enough.

Cost and taking parking away from Highlands park were the main concerns.

A petition with close to 100 signatures was recently presented to the village to emphasize residents' desire to slow drivers, Trustee Mike Herlihy said.

Village Administrator Sue McLaughlin said the village would need to hear from the Fox Valley Park District to add a parking lot for Highlands because the median would take away parking on Sycamore.

In the past, the park district has been against adding a lot to Highlands because it is considered a local park, village officials said.

The cost to add two medians, as well as help with the parking lot, could be as much as $40,000, McLaughlin said.

Village President John Hansen remained optimistic the sign and an occasional police patrol would get the effect the village wants.

"Once you start handing the offenders a bill, they'll start to avoid that road," Hansen said.

He said he liked the idea of traffic calming, but there are other streets in the village that could also use some attention, and the money for medians could be used to repave deteriorated roads.

Trustee Linda Mitchell said if the village added medians to every problem area on village roads, it would drain road funds. Also, she said the medians could not be considered until the park district agreed in writing.