Sign removed as it may be hazard in evenings
Q. Some of your recent columns have answered questions about bicyclists and pedestrians on the Illinois Prairie Path. I have another one.
About two years ago, Jewell Road in Wheaton was reconfigured at Silverleaf Boulevard where the Prairie Path intersects both roads. Coming from the northwest or the southeast, path users can now cross either road first, and the other road second, to continue on the Prairie Path.
My problem is there is a mini-stop sign on the path for bicyclists who are coming from the southeast, but no mini-stop sign for those coming from the northwest. Shouldn't there be a mini-stop sign on the northwest corner?
I live in the area, and so many pedestrians or bicyclists walk, run or bike across Silverleaf without stopping. Many times, there are near-misses with cars leaving Silverleaf to get onto Jewell.
--B. F., Wheaton
A. The DuPage County Highway Department has jurisdiction over both the Great Western Trail and the portions of the Illinois Prairie Path that are in DuPage County.
"Before Jewell Road was re-done, the Prairie Path had a diagonal crosswalk through the middle of the intersection," said John Hawka, manager of highway operations.
"At that point, there were mini-stop signs for bicyclists at both the southeast and northwest corners of the intersection."
When Jewell Road was re-done, the diagonal crosswalk for the Prairie Path was taken away, and the northwest corner became paved with asphalt.
"There isn't very much ambient light in the area, so if we put up a mini-stop sign right out in the open, it would have presented a hazard to pedestrian movement at night," he said.
It was decided the Prairie Path should transition into a conventional pedestrian crosswalk at the northwest corner.
"There is a school crossing there in the morning and afternoon, so it made sense to do that in that spot," said Hawka. "The whole intersection is a lot safer with the diagonal crosswalk no longer there. There are good lines of sight now."
-- Andrew Smith