Park Avenue might get speed bumps

McKENZIE – Park Avenue in the McKenzie district of Wilmette may soon see the introduction of speed bumps to address growing traffic concerns. That is the result of a meeting of the village’s Transportation Commission last week. During the meeting, the village staff presented a list of streets with high traffic volume and excessive average speeds. Notably Park Avenue between Lake and Central Avenues stood out as a problem area, with one in six drivers exceeding the 25 mph speed limit, averaging almost 34 mph. Park Avenue has become a favored shortcut for drivers seeking to avoid traffic lights on Green Bay Road. The Commission named this area as a prime candidate for speed bumps to slow traffic and make the road safer for drivers, pedestrians and bikers.

Bike Walk Wilmette suggested that any speed bumps installed be bike-friendly, allowing cyclists to pass through a gap in the middle of the bump. Village staff promised to explore this suggestion.

Several residents raised issues regarding unsafe condition on other Wilmette streets. One father told the Commission that cars frequently speed down Lawndale to get from Isabella to Ridge. He noted that speeding cars present a very real danger to the many children who live and play on Lawndale. He emphasized the need for traffic calming measures to make his street safer.

A second parent asked for speed bumps on Birchwood Avenue between Ridge and Hunter Roads to safeguard the many children who ride and walk to Highcrest and the Junior High. Commission Chair Jill Hayes expressed concern about the possibility of increased traffic on Washington if speed humps were installed on Birchwood. She doesn’t want more cars using Washington, especially since sharrows to protect bike riders were just installed there. The Commission then requested that Village Staff evaluate the potential impact on nearby streets before decisions are made about speed bumps on Birchwood or Lawndale.

Another area of concern was Greenleaf Avenue and 4th Street in East Wilmette. One in six drivers exceeds the speed limit there, averaging 34 mph, significantly above the 25 mph speed limit. Because these are main roads, the Commission does not want to install slowing speed bumps. Instead, they will consider alternative traffic calming measures, such as sidewalk extensions at crosswalks to reduce the crossing distance and narrow the street for drivers. The timeline for implementing these measures, known as ‘bump-outs,’ was not clear.