Naperville adding parking restrictions near downtown
Sections of four streets near downtown Naperville soon will have no parking zones on one side to allow easier movement of traffic.
Restrictions will be added on Eagle Street and Spring, Douglas and Franklin avenues north and west of downtown, where space for traffic becomes narrow when cars park on both sides of the street, said Jennifer Louden, transportation team leader.
City employees will mark the new no parking zones with $500 worth of signs and also install new signs reminding people to park a safe distance away from corners so drivers can have a clear line of sight when making turns.
"In general, visibility is very good," Louden said about the neighborhood where the new parking restrictions will be imposed. "But because concerns were raised, we thought it would be important to help make sure visibility is maintained by helping people understand how they need to be clear of the intersections."
Resident Keith Burton voiced concerns in December about the difficulty of getting around when cars park on both sides of 24-foot-wide streets such as Franklin Avenue. City staff members then studied parking conditions and surveyed residents about whether they would support a move to parking on only one side of the street. The majority said they would, Louden said.
Parking now will be prohibited in the following locations:
• east side of Eagle Street between Benton and Spring avenues;
• north side of Spring Avenue between Mill and Eagle streets;
• south side of Spring Avenue between Eagle and Webster streets;
• south side of Douglas Avenue between Mill and Webster streets;
• and north side of Franklin Avenue between Mill and Webster streets.
Before approving the new restrictions Tuesday, the city council heard from resident Glen Creevy, who asked for different placement of one of the "No Parking Here to Corner" signs to allow space for a parking spot in front of his house. Creevy said he runs a day care business out of his home at 243 Spring Ave., so he made the request in an "effort to provide a safe drop-off and pickup area for our day care."
Placement of a sidewalk and a crosswalk don't allow for a spot exactly where Creevy would like it, Louden said, but the city will work with him to find another safe option for a day care drop-off zone.