Report of the Committee on Roads and Bridges

 

April 1, 2009

 

 

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Present:

President Stroger and Chairman Moreno, Vice Chairman Gorman, Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Claypool, Collins, Daley, Goslin, Murphy, Peraica, Schneider, Silvestri, Sims, Steele and Suffredin (15)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Quigley and Maldonado (2)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Your Committee on Roads and Bridges, having had under consideration the matters hereinafter mentioned, respectfully reports and recommends as follows:

 

Section 1

 

Your Committee has considered the following items and upon adoption of this report, the recommendations are as follows:

 

296472

TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT ON 131ST STREET BETWEEN 96TH AVENUE TO 104TH AVENUE FROM 40 MPH TO 30 MPH (PROPOSED RESOLUTION).  Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman, County Commissioner.

 

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/11-604, counties and municipalities have the legal authority to restrict speed limits on roads under their control; and

 

WHEREAS, 131st Street between 104th Avenue and LaGrange Road is under the control of the County of Cook; and

 

WHEREAS, the above mentioned section of 131st Street is a two lane roadway passing through an area which is populated by residences and Carl Sandburg High School; and

 

WHEREAS, over the course of the past three years, there have been over 100 accidents in that area including the fatality of a student directly across the street from Carl Sandburg High School; and

 

WHEREAS, as mandated by State law, County government has the principal responsibility for the protection of persons and property, the provision for public health services and the maintenance of County highways; and

 

WHEREAS, in meeting those requirements, it is necessary to reduce the speed limit on 131st Street between 104th Avenue and LaGrange Road to a reasonable limit.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners urges the County Board President to begin the process of reducing the speed limit on 131st Street as follows:

 

                                                                                    Existing      Proposed

                                                                                       Speed            Speed

Roadway                 SECTION                                  Limit               Limit

 

131st Street                96th Avenue to                        40 M.P.H.         30 M.P.H.

                                                104th Avenue

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners urges the County Board President to begin the process for declaring the area 500 feet immediately on either side of Carl Sandburg High School as a School Zone and reduce that area to 20 MPH on school days when children are present.

 

*Referred to the Committee on Roads and Bridges 10/1/08.

 

296473

TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT ON LAGRANGE ROAD FROM THE SOUTHWEST HIGHWAY UNDERPASS TO 131ST STREET FROM 45 MPH TO 35 MPH (PROPOSED RESOLUTION).  Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by ELIZABETH “LIZ” DOODY GORMAN, County Commissioners.

 

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/11-604, the Illinois Department of Transportation has the legal authority to restrict speed limits on roads under their control; and

 

WHEREAS, LaGrange Road between 131st Street and the Southwest Highway Underpass is under the control of the Illinois Department of Transportation; and

 

WHEREAS, the above mentioned section of LaGrange Road is a four lane roadway passing through an area which is populated by residences and Carl Sandburg High School; and

 

WHEREAS, the speed limit on LaGrange Road approaching the Southwest Highway Underpass is currently 35 miles per hour and increases to 45 miles per hour in the residential and school zone; and

 

WHEREAS, since that time when the speed limit of 45 miles per hour was instituted, there have been major residential and commercial developments including a new townhome subdivision and shopping center directly across the street from Carl Sandburg High School; and

 

WHEREAS, over the past three years, there have been over 100 motor vehicle collisions in the area of the school on 131st Street including the fatality of a pedestrian who was a student at Carl Sandburg High School; and

 

WHEREAS, the new shopping center across LaGrange Road from the school will attract more foot traffic than ever before, placing lives in danger.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners urges the Illinois Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit on LaGrange Road from the Southwest Highway Underpass to 131st Street from 45 MPH to 35 MPH; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners urges the Illinois Department of Transportation to declare the area 500 feet immediately on either side of Carl Sandburg High School as a School Zone and reduce that area to 20 MPH on school days when children are present.

 

Referred to the Committee on Roads and Bridges 10/1/08.

 

Vice Chairman Gorman, seconded by Commissioner Murphy moved approval of Communication Nos. 296472 and 296473.  The motion carried unanimously

 

Section 2

 

Your Committee has considered the following communication from Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, recommending for approval change in plans and extra work in the construction of certain highway improvements.

 

299388

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, by Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, submitting recommendation for change in plans and extra work on Section:  08-A6603-02-RS.  Schaumburg Road, Chicago Elgin Road to Sutton Road in the Village of Streamwood and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County in County Board District #15.  Adjustment of quantities and new items.  $41,977.86 (Addition).

 

299389

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, by Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, submitting recommendation for change in plans and extra work on Section:  04-A6107-04-RS.  Group 1-2005:  East River Road/Bender Road, Relocated-Ballard Road to Central Road; and Central Road, 0.46 miles east of Barrington Road to Freeman Road in the City of Des Plaines and in the Village of Hoffman Estates in County Board Districts #14, 15 and 17.  Final adjustment of quantities and new items.  $2,672.04 (Addition).

 

299390

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, by Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, submitting recommendation for change in plans and extra work on Section:  07-W3726-02-RS.  Group 4-2007:  Ridgeland Avenue, 26th Street to Roosevelt Road Barrypoint (Long Common) Road over the Des Plaines River in the City of Berwyn and the Village of Riverside in County Board District #16.  Adjustment of quantities and new items.  $1,707.71 (Deduction).

 

299391

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, by Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, submitting recommendation for change in plans and extra work on Section: 04-B5121-02-RS.  131st Street, Wolf Road to 96th Avenue in the Village of Palos Park, unincorporated Palos Township and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County in County Board District #17.  Final adjustment of quantities.  $2,326.08 (Addition).

 

 

 

299392

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, by Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, submitting recommendation for change in plans and extra work on Section: 08-8PVMK-31-GM.  Pavement Markings-2008 Countywide.  First and final adjustment of quantities.  $233,164.60 (Deduction).

 

Vice Chairman Gorman, seconded by Commissioner Murphy, moved the Approval of the change in plans and extra work described in Communication Nos. 299388, 299389, 299390, 299391 and 299392.  The motion carried unanimously.

 

Section 3

 

Your Committee has considered the following item and upon adoption of this report, the recommendation is as follows:

 

299393

COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, by Rupert F. Graham, Jr., P.E., Superintendent of Highways, submitting the Bureau of Construction's Progress Report for the month ending February 28, 2009.

 

Vice Chairman Gorman, seconded by Commissioner Murphy moved to Receive and File

Communication No. 299393.  The motion carried unanimously

 

 

Commissioner Beavers moved to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Steele. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.

 

 

 

    Respectfully submitted,

    Committee on Roads and Bridges

 

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    Joseph Mario Moreno, Chairman

 

Attest:

 

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Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary