Alderman Reilly is very pleased to announce the completion of vital infrastructure improvements, installed in response to reports of speeding cars and pedestrian safety concerns along Erie Street, between Kingsbury and Sedgwick.
River North is home to a large (and growing) number of families, as well as several daycares and a popular park with robust children's and dog amenities. All of these factors contribute to significant pedestrian traffic along Erie Street in River North.
Alderman Reilly asked the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to survey West Erie Street, from N. Kingsbury Street to N. Sedgwick Street. CDOT traffic engineers developed a comprehensive traffic calming design intended to slow vehicular traffic and improve pedestrian safety along West Erie Street.
Concrete curb extensions have been installed on Erie Street, at the intersections with Kingsbury, Hudson, and Sedgwick Streets. Curb extensions narrow the roadway and help slow vehicular traffic, and bring stop signs closer to the driver. Curb extensions also reduce the pedestrian crossing distance and improve visibility between drivers and pedestrians.
For additional traffic calming, CDOT installed a speed hump and curb extensions mid-block on Erie Street between Kingsbury and Hudson, and another mid-block between Hudson and Sedgwick. Mid-block speed humps were installed on Superior, between Larrabee and Orleans, and will be installed on Huron, between Larrabee and Orleans.
Speed humps are self-enforcing traffic calming tools that reduce travel speeds as drivers are forced to slow down in order to traverse the humps. The new speed humps will reduce overall vehicular and pedestrian crashes within this corridor.