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Memo To: Jarrod Cebulski, IDOT From: Mary Ann Kaufman Date: February 2, 2003 The purpose of this report is to notify you on the number and location of bus stops along Route 53 from Roosevelt to North Avenue as of the school year 2002/2003. A scatter map of these stops for School District 87 along Route 53 is included. In the January 9th, 2003 meeting, we discussed the possibilities of traffic calming techniques to increase safety of not only the drivers, but also school buses and pedestrian traffic on and along the route. Although school bus stops vary from year to year, because of neighborhood locations along Route 53 and their proximity to the different schools in the area, it is reasonable to assume that some bus stop activity will remain in these general areas of high activity for the next 15 years. The organizations contacted for this information were:
Each school district was asked the same two questions. 1. The number of school bus stops on Route 53 between North Avenue and Roosevelt Road. 2. Number of children if possible to determine Not all School District personnel were in a position to answer both questions. School District 89 (Bernie Madden--Superintendent bmadden@ccsd89.org)Glen Ellyn No bus stops on Route 53 at this time. "Although we have buses on Route 53, none are picking up or dropping off children along the side of the road. We have gone out of our way to insure this for the safety of the school children in District 89." "My preference is to keep the road cross-section to a two-lane because then all traffic must stop. This is a safety feature to guard children crossing the road with the actual bus as a barrier to traffic. Because we are aware of the danger of children crossing at a bus stop for drivers, District 89 has taken every measure to ensure that no child "needs" to cross the road to use the bus service. Our routes are altered from morning to afternoon so that we can ensure that the bus is on the same side of the road where the children reside." Things to note: School District 41 Glen Ellyn Patricia Mengus 790-6413Hadley Jr. High Bus stop on Route 53 and Meadow. Bus stops on Route 53 at this intersection. Churchill Elementary Bus stops on Pleasant, Cimarron and Meadow. Bus does not stop on Route 53 for Churchill but on the side streets. No student count is available. School District 44 Madison School in Lombard: Two of the bus stops are in the area known as Flowerfield. This area is between Surrey Drive and St. Charles Road. The school district tries to pick up children in front of their homes. This is an added cost to the school district in Lombard because of the lack of sidewalk facilities. "We would LOVE sidewalk facilities." Preference is for sidewalks to not be as close as they are planned but set back to five feet. Parents would be more likely to allow children to walk to school with an increased setback. District 44 would discontinue some busing services if sidewalks were placed three feet from the road. However, the parent’s fear is increased traffic congestion in and around the schools will occur. Some parents would drive their children who now take a bus to school because they may not be comfortable with the close placement of sidewalks to the road. This result is a safety concern for children on and near school grounds. The Resident Addresses are: 592 S. Route 53 : Near Charles Lane west side of road.1000 S Route 53 : Flower field on the West Side of the curve (inner) on Route 53 near Wilson1017 S. Route 53 : Flowerfield on the East Side of the curve (outer) on Route 53 near WilsonPark View School of Lombard Secretary 827-4040 "I live at 38 North Route 53 on the West Side in Lombard. I have observed that speeding is one of the biggest problems on Route 53. I do not feel that the volume of traffic is an issue for safe crossing of the road, but the speeding and weaving on any four-lane section is an issue. As a result, we minimize as much as possible all children pedestrian traffic for school bus services as much as possible. We ask that parents have them wait for the bus inside homes. We then send buses to pick up as many children in front of their homes as possible so that no child walks for long near Route 53". There are currently 10 school bus stops for Park View School in Lombard. These stops are predominantly North of the Prairie Path. They are on both sides of Route 53. 54 North Route 53, 25 North Route 53, Pleasant and Route 53, 18 South Route 53, 21 South Route 53 95 South Route 53, 437 South Route 53, 531 South Route 53, 645 South Route 53, 701 South Route 53. "My personal preference is that if sidewalks are placed near the road that they be at least a car width (6-ft) from the curb for safe walkability. I do not feel three feet is adequate. And would not recommend any child to walk that close to a four-lane highway. I also feel that a drop in speed limit would be beneficial. I do not feel that four lanes is necessary for traffic volumes I have observed." School District 87 Report is enclosed. |
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