Emissions tests shocker and Pepsi desert at CTA
Just to counter those who think the media is too negative, I'll start with a pleasant surprise involving vehicle emissions.
When the yellow Illinois Environmental Protection Agency notice arrived in the mail saying it was test time again, I was annoyed. Annoyed because the closest test station to where I live was shuttered a year or so ago. The state changed the emissions program in 2007 to exempt vehicles with a model year of 1995 and older and it also closed a number of test stations in 2008.
Now the nearest station was located in strip-mall-land a couple of suburbs away which means sitting in traffic emitting pollution en route and waiting along with the other people who decided to arrive at the same time as I.
However, if you actually read the IEPA notice, it also offers an alternative. Problem is the alternative has such an annoying name, I skipped over it initially. The "Air Team Appointment Only Testing Station" is an option for those with cars and light trucks that only require onboard diagnostic testing (and that's most of us) versus the whole nine yards with the gas cap test, et al.
What is the Air Team? It sounds like a tree-hugging Michael Jordan who works for the government, but for me it turned out to be a Meinke shop close by. I called the Air Team at (877) 927-7587, refrained from making any smart comments about their name and got a 9:15 a.m. appointment.
It was stunningly easy. I showed up at 9:15, the Meinke guy took my yellow notice, I watched Regis and Kelly, and within minutes I was on my way with my official piece of paper. No charge. Loved the fact you could make an appointment and not just hope there won't be a line.
There's about 40 "Air Team" locations in the state. For more info, check out www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim.
Constant reader
I love it when people write in.
• Here's a question from Mary Lou in Naperville. "I was wondering why the Naperville I-88 tollway exit is signed 'To Naperville Road' as opposed to signing the fact that it exits onto Freedom Drive? Maintaining the old language in light of the new interchange does not, in my opinion, contribute to clarity, nor does it benefit the businesses that have invested in a Freedom Drive location. I hope this is a temporary attempt to perhaps tie in with old maps, but really, the exit is onto Freedom Drive."
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority spokeswoman Joelle McGinnis responded that the tollway coordinated the signage with the city of Naperville. The exit will continue to be signed for Naperville Road because it's intended to direct traffic to and from Naperville Road, which is a major roadway, she explained. Freedom Drive was constructed as part of the interchange redesign and there are Freedom Drive signs on the ramp. It could cause confusion if the sign was changed to Freedom Drive instead of Naperville Road, which is the destination for many drivers, McGinnis added.
• Speaking of the tollway, Barb Gerber from Wheeling writes, "My daughter was driving our car in 2007 and did not pay some tolls. We got a notice of toll way violations (recently). I understand they have to collect the money but the system is not fair. My daughter is a college student so we did go to a hearing( waste of time). They have two years to get out notices which is way too long, but no payment plan to pay the fine back. They should never have waited two years to let us know that there was a problem. Plus they don't take personal checks. Since they can go back two years, we should have two years to pay back our fines. You cannot expect someone to pay hundreds of dollars in fines in just 21 days. It is too late for me but hopefully something will be done."
Flotsam and jetsam
• Be careful out there, begs the Active Transportation Alliance after the deaths of a Chicago bicyclist and Chicago pedestrian last week. The pedestrian, a pregnant woman, was killed when a car ran a red light and the bicyclist, a 23-year-old woman, died in an accident on the North Side. Now that it's getting dark earlier plus all the rain and fallen leaves contributing to slippery conditions, it's essential drivers look out for pedestrians and bicyclists, said Alliance Executive Director Rob Sadowsky.
• Here's a look at upcoming Metra hearings into fare increases. DuPage: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Clarendon Hills Village Hall, 1 N. Prospect Ave.; Cook: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Arlington Heights Village Hall, 33 S. Arlington Heights Road; McHenry: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Woodstock City Hall, 121 W. Calhoun St.; Lake County: Thursday, Nov. 5, Grayslake Village Hall, 10 S. Seymour; Kane County: Thursday, Nov. 5, Geneva City Hall, 22 S. First St.
• The tollway wraps up construction on I-355's fourth lane between Ogden Avenue and 75th Street this weekend. And Monday marks completion of a portion of I-90 construction with new third lanes complete between State Street and Rockton Road near Rockford.