3rd Ward Main Street Pedestrian Safety
As local residents, we would like to see a change to the existing design of intersections at Main Street & Forest Avenue and Main Street & Michigan Avenue in the Third Ward to prioritize protecting pedestrians and cyclists and deter unsafe driving, especially near Lincoln School.
Current best practices for pedestrian and traffic calming infrastructure include:
Raised crosswalks, which are speed humps with a crosswalk that extend across a road at sidewalk level, providing a physical element to slow drivers while increasing pedestrian visibility, and…
Raised intersections, which are similar but extend across the entire intersection, slowing drivers on each approach.
These improvements, along with better focused street lighting at crosswalks, are needed in our community to improve safety, especially considering the history of numerous severe incidents involving cars and pedestrians along these streets.
Raised crosswalks/ intersections at Main & Forest and Main & Michigan meet all criteria listed in the Illinois Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations Standards and are consistent with Evanston’s Complete Streets and Vision Zero policies, as well as our Climate Action and Resilience Plan.
There is also local precedent, with a raised crosswalk recently installed on Main between Sherman and Custer, which has identical street characteristics including average daily traffic volumes.
I was walking my dog on a dark morning and saw lots of police with a helicopter hovering above. An elderly neighbor was hit by a car crossing Main Street and died from his injuries. It was very sad, and I’ll always wonder if better lighting would have prevented his death.
-- Joe H.
I am always afraid to cross the street at Forest and Main, especially when it is dark outside. Cars are so focused on turning onto Main Street, they simply don’t notice the pedestrians.
-- Paul C.
My husband was walking our dog when a car came zooming down Forest and turned east on Main Street and hit him. He went flying over the hood of the car. Luckily, he was not seriously injured! The driver was very shaken; he did not see anyone crossing the street.
-- Judy P.
I live on the south side of Main Street, and both my kids go to Lincoln. I always worry about them crossing Main when the school crossing guards are not on duty, especially when it is dark outside. It’s a preventable tragedy waiting to happen.
-- Ryan H.
Fill out this form to “sign” in support of the installation of raised crosswalks, raised intersections and better lighting at the corners of Main & Forest and Main & Michigan in Evanston’s 3rd Ward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the existing intersection drainage/ice-build up issues be worsened with these changes?
No, the construction of a raised intersection would require modification to the Main/Forest intersection including existing drainage (or lack thereof). Therefore, a raised intersection would actually be the best way to resolve existing ice build-up and drainage issues, as that can be addressed as part of the new design.
How will using a raised intersection feel for pedestrians?
A raised intersection creates an even surface at sidewalk level. Only motor vehicles will have to change elevation, slowing down to enter the intersection. Pedestrians will not have to ramp "down" into the street or "up" again as they do today, which is a major benefit for individuals with strollers, luggage, or mobility limitations. This also makes pedestrians much more visible to drivers, and shifts the psychology of the space; instead of the pedestrian stepping into the "car's territory," the driver feels they are driving up into a "pedestrian space."
Are there examples of existing raised intersections in our area?
Evanston installed a raised crosswalk on Main St near Sherman Ave. Taking a trip to see this raised pedestrian infrastructure in use can be helpful for visualizing what a raised intersection would look like, as it’s essentially the same concept only slightly larger.
Evanston’s raised crosswalk has noticeably improved pedestrian safety, and has had no maintenance or drainage/snow plow issues.
Chicago has installed many protected intersections, including those pictured below in the Portage Park neighborhood at Berteau and Long Ave in front of an elementary school and in the Ravenwood neighborhood at Damen and Leland, which sees significant traffic for cars, bikes, and pedestrians.
