Will speed humps, stop signs solve Mount Prospect neighborhood’s cut-through traffic problem?

Mount Prospect will place temporary speed humps and carry out other traffic calming measures in the Hatlen Heights neighborhood.

But it remains to be seen what effect those measures will have on cut-through traffic and speeding vehicles.

After a long discussion Tuesday, the village board, with only one no vote from Trustee Colleen Saccotelli, agreed on speed humps along Audrey Lane and Hatlen Avenue.

In addition, the board approved a new four-way stop sign at Connie and Audrey lanes, pavement markings on Meier Road between Connie and Lincoln Street that give the impression of a narrower road, “no-truck” signage and a bump-out curb at the southeast corner of Meier and Connie.

The speed humps will be installed sometime in the spring, Public Works Director Sean Dorsey said, while the other measures can be implemented sooner. The humps will be removed in the fall and the results evaluated.

For years, residents have voiced concerns about cars, school buses and trucks using their neighborhood to get from Central Road to Golf Road without having to use Arlington Heights Road or Busse Road.

Recent traffic studies showed approximately 900 vehicles per day using Audrey.

“I have children. There are other neighbors that have children. I'm concerned for their safety,” neighborhood resident Vito LiRosi said.

The village board rejected installing small traffic circles, as well as stop signs at other intersections.

Dorsey said federal standards for traffic control devices mandate stop signs not be used for speed control.

Village Attorney Lance Malina also warned the village could face liability for accidents at intersections with unwarranted stop signs.

But Trustee Beth DiPrima said she isn’t convinced stop signs don’t slow down traffic.

“If you're rolling at a stop sign at one mile an hour, you are slowing down traffic,” she said.

Saccotelli said she did not favor speed humps because of a possible loss of street parking.

The village had previously installed speed humps on See Gwun Avenue in the 2000s. They were ultimately removed.

“Three years ago, we said we're just going to park our cars on the street, and that's going to solve it. And apparently that's the only thing that's going to solve it,” neighborhood resident Debbie Geavaras said.