Chicago Department of Transportation Makes Changes for Safety

CHICAGO, IL, July 16, 2012

Chicago Department of Transportation Makes Changes for Safety

The safety of Chicago streets, alleys, bridges, railroads and airports was at the heart of the plan unveiled by the Chicago Department of Transportation this May. The Chicago Forward plan has the admirable goal of putting a stop to all fatalities in pedestrian, bicycle and car accidents in the city. The proposal covers a wide range of topics, including several that are bound to raise eyebrows.

Making the City Safe for Pedestrians

Many of the changes are geared toward eliminating accidents involving people getting around the city on foot. Many intersections will be getting crosswalk signals that provide a countdown to reduce the number of pedestrians caught on the road when the light turns. Other intersections will have their stoplights changed to give pedestrians more time, roughly three seconds more, to finish crossing. In addition, residential streets would see a reduction in the speed limit down to 20 miles per hour. This could reduce accidents for both cars and pedestrians.

Addressing Bicycle and Car Accidents

The proposals regarding bike accidents and car crashes involve changes to the law, as well as construction and maintenance projects. The city intends to create up to 100 miles of new protected bikeways in the next three years. Current bike lanes will be restored and improved. Improved bike lanes may lead to fewer deadly interactions between cars and bicycles.

The city will aggressively target the repair of potholes. The goal is to make sure that all potholes are fixed within three days. The city is analyzing the methods used to repair potholes to seek more effective solutions. Potholes are a common problem and their repair can reduce accidents caused by flat tires and by drivers who lose control of their vehicles. Potholes present a more direct dangerto motorcycle and bicycle riders. Striking a pothole can cause serious injury or death for riders.

New Construction and Road Repairs

There are many other projects involved in the overarching Chicago transportation plan. Among them are plans to remove overpasses on Western and Ashland to be replaced with more modern intersections, plans to rebuild the Torrence Avenue lift bridge over the Calumet River and the Wells Street Bridge over the Chicago, and much more. The Chicago Forward plan will hopefully make the city a safer place for all forms of transportation.

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