CH-Todd Bright
From: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2017 3:20 PM To: CH-Todd Bright Subject: Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program: Application 142047 - Wilmette - Downtown Streetscape Improvements successfully submitted
142047 - Wilmette - Downtown Streetscape Improvements has been successfully submitted.
Please ensure that the project's six-digit ITEP number is included on the General Information page. An ITEP number is generated once you have finalized and submitted your application.
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• One (1) unbound hard copy of the entire application, including attachments
Final deadline: All hard copies of applications with attachments must be received by IDOT by the close of business (4:30 PM) on Friday, December 1, 2017. Hard copy applications may be mailed or hand-delivered to IDOT.
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Please submit all material to the following address:
Illinois Department of Transportation Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program Room 307 2300 South Dirksen Parkway Springfield, Illinois 62764
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1 General Project Information Submittal Date: 11/29/2017 ITEP# 142047 GATA Registration 687891 Number: Wilmette - Downtown Wilmette Project Sponsor: Project Title: Streetscape Improvements
Metropolitan Chicago IDOT District Metropolitan 1 Planning Number(s) Agency for Organization (MPO) Planning Mayoral Council North Shore Located In: Wilmette (s):
County(ies): Cook CMAP (Chicago Transportation Metropolitan Congressional District(s): 9-Jan Management Area: Agency for Schakowsky Planning)
Representative: 18-Robyn Gabel
Senate: 9-Daniel Biss Sponsor Information
Agency Type: Local Government
Sponsor: Village
Project Sponsor: Wilmette
Contact Person Details
Position Title: Director of Engineering and Public Works
Salutation: Ms. Last Name: First Name: Brigitte M.I: A BergerRaish
Address: 711 Laramie Avenue City: Wilmette Zip: 60091 Phone Number: Fax: (847) 853-7705 Email Address: (847) 853-7627 Ext: [email protected]
Co-Sponsor(s):
Mayor/Village President Details
Position Title: Village President
Salutation: Mr. Last Name: First Name: Robert M.I: Bielinski
Address: 1200 Wilmette Ave City: Wilmette Zip: 60091 Phone Number: Fax: (847) 853-7700 Email Address: (847) 251-7272 Ext: [email protected] Project Category
Landscape/Streetscape and Other Scenic Beautification • Located on publicly owned and operated property
Project Costs
Cost Estimates Prepared By: Todd Bright
Phone No: (847) 407-5271
Agency/Firm: TranSystems
Sponsor Share Type of Work Federal Share Ineligible Items Totals (Local Match) Preliminary Engineering I $0
Preliminary Engineering II $0 $0 $0 $0 Right-of-Way Acquisition $0 (50/50) Street Lighting $0 (50/50) Utility Relocations $0
Construction $999,100 $249,780 $0 $1,248,880
Construction Engineering $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Project Costs $999,100 $249,780 $0 $1,248,880
Do you qualify for credits under the Local Agency Federal Flexible Match Program?(Refer to Section C and Appendix 6 of the Guidelines Manual.)
Yes Anticipated Eligible Amount: No If you have or will be applying for funding through other programs or state agencies for the proposed enhancement project or for the sponsor match, please provide the following information: the agency, type of program and amount of funds. This project is being done in conjunction with a Federal-Aid highway improvement. North Shore Council of Mayors, Surface Transportation Program Urban (STU), ENG 2 $362,414 and CON $3,951,099. TIP# 02-13-0004 & Section#16-00199-00-RS. Project Description Provide a brief description of the project: STP funds are being used to reconstruct the roadways as part of a separate project. This project complements the roadway project by providing streetscape and pedestrian enhancements that will coincide with the overall reconstruction project. Central and Wilmette Avenues are the Village Center's primary pedestrian shopping streets. Project Relationship to Surface Transportation: Central and Wilmette Avenues are considered the "Main Streets" for downtown Wilmette providing access and mobility. This project improves multi-modal efficiency, attractiveness, and comfort within the downtown and adjacent neighborhood. Wilmette's Metra train station, Village Hall, an elementary school and churches lie within the project limits. Pace operates routes 421 & 423 along Central Avenue. Bicyclist use Central to connect between the Green Bay Trail and Sheridan Road bike lanes. Project Location: Central Avenue (FAU 9-1296) and Wilmette Avenue (FAU 9-1297). Project Limits: Central Avenue from Green Bay Road (FAU 9-2744) to Sheridan Road (FAU 9-3509) and Wilmette Avenue from Green Bay Road (FAU 9-2744) to Lake Avenue. Project Length: 5,800 feet -1.1 mile Project Scope Of Work: The streetscape enhancements will be consistent with the Village Center Master Plan and include: Central Business District landscaping (trees, perennials, permanent planter boxes, and tree grates); stamped concrete sidewalk with accent pavers within the downtown, permeable parking pavers; enlarged hardscape area at Central Elementary School to accommodate the arrival of students; increased visibility crosswalk pavers, resetting existing historic sidestreet pavers disturbed by the roadway reconstruction; curb bump outs; raised intersection pavement at 8th and 11th Streets to increase awareness, protect pedestrians, and control speed; permanent benches; bike racks; wayfinding signage; an informational kiosk near Village Hall, downtown pedestrian lighting, painting existing historic light poles within the residential section; and new decorative traffic signal posts at the Central Avenue at Wilmette Avenue intersection. Anticipated Benefits: The Village has completed similar enhancement improvements along adjacent roadways over the years including Green Bay Road and Sheridan Road. This project is needed to enhance the aesthetic value along this multi-modal transportation corridor within the Village. The improvements will provide traffic calming, beautification, and is part of a Village-wide plan to provide multi-modal connectivity to the Central Business District. Aside from the CBD, Village Hall, and the Metra station, this will improve connectivity to area parks (Gillson Park), Wilmette Harbor, and the Baha'i Temple. The Village has adopted a "Complete Streets" policy and this project would be used to help implement the policy goals. Describe how the project will improve safety for transportation facility users: Raised intersections and paver crosswalks will enhance pedestrian safety for the downtown intersections. Parkway bump-outs near intersections will also be constructed in an effort to narrow the width of the pavement that pedestrians need to cross from one side of the street to the other. The driver sight lines will be improved at 11th and Central by moving the stop bar. Project Status Project Relationship What relationship does your project have with other planned improvements?
Project is a stand-alone project Project is proposed to be developed and implemented with another project Project is a part of a larger project (not being implemented at the same time) Project is an extension of a completed project Project completes a previously ITEP-funded project Have funds from the ITEP been previously committed to the proposed enhancement project?
Yes No Amount Received: (if yes, list amount of funds and provide explanation for resubmittal.) Description: Have funds from the ITEP been previously committed to any projects related to the proposed enhancement project?
Yes No Amount Received: Description: What is the predicted usage of the facility? Pedestrians commuting to the adjacent Metra Train station, using Village Hall, attending the adjacent school and churches, and visiting numerous central business district businesses and attractions. For projects that involve buildings such as a historic train depot, please identify who will own and operate the facility.
Land Acquisition and Easements (All applications must have a Right-of-Way/Easement Status box marked)
No additional right-of-way or easements are required for project construction Right-of-way or easements will be required. (Please answer the following if this box is checked.) Who currently owns the property to be acquired or leased?
How much property will be purchased or leased? (List by acreage / number of parcels / Square footage as appropriate)
Project Readiness
PE I has been completed PE II has been completed Plans have been approved by appropriate agency All ROW secured (if there are parcels not yet secured, do not check box) Local match has been secured If PE1 has been completed, please enter Project Development Report (PDR) approval date/information An updated PDR was submitted to BLRS on 11/22/17. The final PDR will be submitted on 12/15/17. It will be processed as a Group 2 CE all environmental clearances have been received. Sec#16-00199-00-RS When do you anticipate construction to begin? (Refer to Sunset Clause - Section H) Month: June Year: 2019 Public Involvement Do you have a governmental resolution in support of the project?
Yes No Have public meetings been held about this project?
Yes No Are there any adverse impacts?
Yes No Does this project have a statement(s) of support or letters of recommendation?
Yes No Project Maintenance Plantenance Plan IDOT requires a maintenance agreement to be included in all enhancement project agreements. To demonstrate project readiness, the following questions must be answered. Do you currently have a maintenance plan for this project?
Yes No Do you currently have the proper equipment to provide needed maintenance?
Yes No Will maintenance be provided by municipal employees or volunteers?
Municipal Employees Volunteers Others (please explain)
How is the maintenance plan funded? Funds appropriated on an annual basis
How many years does the maintenance plan cover? Perpetuity Attachments Local Assurance Wilmette.pdf (Signed Copy of Local Assurance) [292.6kb] No Description
Cost Estimate PDR ITEP.pdf (Detailed Cost Estimate) [26.9kb] No Description
Resolution 2017-R-24.pdf (Governing Board Resolution of Support) [599.1kb] No Description
Village Center Master Plan.pdf (Redevelopment Plan) [294.3kb] Village Master Plan for Downtown
Project Location Map.pdf (Project Location Map) [817.3kb] No Description
Uniform Application for Grant Assistance.pdf (GATA Uniform Grant Application) [949.3kb] No Description
Risk Assessment.pdf (GATA Programmatic Risk Assessment) [1991.1kb] No Description
Uniform Budget Streetscape Wilmette.pdf (GATA Uniform Budget) [8.0mb] No Description
Photos.pdf (Pictures of Existing Project Area) [4.9mb] No Description
Discolsure of Conflicts.pdf (GATA Grantee Conflict of Interest Form) [380.3kb] No Description
Letters of Support.pdf (Letter of Support) [57.5kb] No Description
Public Involvement Summary.pdf (Summary of Public Involvement) [4.3mb] No Description
Mapping
CENTRAL AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD TRACK (METRA NORTH LINE) TO SHERIDAN ROAD VILLAGE OF WILMETTE October 16, 2017
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF COST
PROJECT LENGTH: 5,800 feet (1.1 mi)
1. CONSTRUCTION FEDERAL STATE QTY. UNIT UNIT PRICE TOTAL (STP 70%) (ITEP 80%) VILLAGE Roadway & Intersection Improvements 24,158 SY $ 133 $ 3,206,047 $ 2,244,233 70% $ 961,814 30% { earth excavation 8,060 CY $ 23 $ 185,380 { non-special waste removal 810 CY $ 75 $ 60,750 { curb and gutter removal 11,624 LF $ 5 $ 58,120 { pavement removal 24,365 SY $ 9 $ 219,285 { driveway pavement removal 537 SY $ 8 $ 4,296 { sidewalk removal 19,874 SF $ 2 $ 39,748 { proposed curb and gutter 11,772 LF $ 15 $ 176,580 { proposed bit. pavement construction 24,158 SY $ 60 $ 1,449,487 { proposed PCC driveway pavement 537 SY $ 45 $ 24,163 { proposed pcc sidewalk 19,874 SF $ 5 $ 99,370 { proposed detectable warning strips 1,142 SF $ 15 $ 17,130 { drainage improvements 4,356 LF $ 165 $ 718,740 { signing and striping 1 LSUM $ 50,000 $ 50,000 { sodding and topsoil 10,300 SY $ 10 $ 103,000
Water Main (8 inch) 5,800 LF $ 170 $ 986,000 $ 986,000 100% Traffic Signal Replacement 1 EA $ 300,000 $ 300,000 $ 210,000 70% $ 90,000 30% Traffic Signal Modifications 1 EA $ 10,000 $ 10,000 $ 7,000 70% $ 3,000 30% Temporary Traffic Signal Installation 1 EA $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 21,000 70% $ 9,000 30% Interconnect Modifications 0 EA $ 20,000 $ - $ - $ -
Streetscape and Enhancement Features $ 990,000 $ 792,000 80% $ 198,000 20% { trees 24 EA $ 500 $ 12,000 { perennials 300 EA $ 40 $ 12,000 { stamped, colored concrete sidewalk 33,600 SF $ 8 $ 268,800 { sidewalk pavers 16,800 SF $ 15 $ 252,000 { crosswalk pavers 1,057 SF $ 16 $ 16,912 { reset historic sidestreet pavers 750 SF $ 14 $ 10,500 { curb bump outs 267 SY $ 90 $ 24,000 { raised intersection pavement 278 SY $ 75 $ 20,833 { planter boxes (permanent) 12 EA $ 2,000 $ 24,000 { tree grates 24 EA $ 3,000 $ 72,000 { benchs (permanent) 16 EA $ 2,000 $ 32,000 { bicycle racks 12 EA $ 750 $ 9,000 { information kiosk 1 EA $ 10,000 $ 10,000 { wayfinding signs 12 EA $ 250 $ 3,000 { decorative traffic signal posts 4 EA $ 16,000 $ 64,000 { paint historic light poles 52 EA $ 300 $ 15,600 { pedestrian lighting 22 EA $ 6,500 $ 143,000
Mobilization STP (5%) 1 LSUM $ 226,000 $ 226,000 $ 158,200 70% $ 67,800 30% Mobilization ITEP (5%) 1 LSUM $ 49,000 $ 49,000 $ 39,200 80% $ 9,800 20% Traffic Control & Protection ITEP (4%) 1 LSUM $ 181,000 $ 181,000 $ 126,700 70% $ 54,300 30% Traffic Control & Protection STP (4%) 1 LSUM $ 39,000 $ 39,000 $ 31,200 80% $ 7,800 20% Contingency STP (10%) $ 493,000 $ 345,100 70% $ 147,900 30% Contingency ITEP (10%) $ 99,000 $ 79,200 80% $ 19,800 20% Subtotal -- Construction (2017$) $ 6,609,000 $ 3,112,200 $ 941,600 $ 2,555,200 Subtotal -- Construction (2019$)** $ 7,012,000 100% $ 3,302,000 47% $ 999,100 14% $ 2,711,100 39% ** - 3% Annual Increase
2. R.O.W. Acquisition (0 Parcels) Title Reports 0 LSUM $600 $ - Plats & Legals 0 LSUM $7,000 $ - Appraisals & Review 0 LSUM $3,000 $ - Negotiations 0 LSUM $2,500 $ - Acquisition 0 SF $25 $ - Easement 0 SF $3 $ - Subtotal -- R.O.W. $ - $ - $ -
3. ENGINEERING Design Engineering $ 518,000 100% $ 362,600 70% $ 155,400 30% Construction Engineering (Assume 12% of construction) $ 841,440 100% $ 589,008 70% $ 252,432 30% Subtotal -- Engineering $ 1,359,440 100% $ 951,608 70% $ 407,832 30%
PROJECT TOTAL: $ 8,371,400 100% $ 4,253,600 51% $ 999,100 12% $ 3,118,900 37% ITEP Request $ 1,248,875 100% $ 999,100 80% $ 249,775 20%
Project Location Map
PROJECT LOCATION N
&(175$/$9(18(
Project Location Map
Central Avenue Union Pacific Railroad (Metra North Line) To Sheridan Road
Village of Wilmette Regional Project Location Map
N
Project Location
Project Location Map Central Avenue Green Bay Road to Sheridan Road
Village of Wilmette
SUMMARY OF IMPROVEMENTS Existing STP FUNDS New Roadway ITEP Requested FUNDS Village Center Streetscaping Pavers, tree grates, planters, benches Side Street Curb Extensions Raised Intersection @ 11th Speed Table @ 8th Hardscape Central School More Bike Racks Maintain Brick Side Streets Paint Historic Lighting Add Wayfinding Signage & Remove Redundant Signage 561 Central Ave looking East at Wilmette Ave (Downtown)
24 Downtown Streetscaping
363 DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPING P
144 DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPING
VILLAGE FUNDED • Hanging Baskets • Decorative Signals • Trash Receptacles
ITEP REQUEST • Brick Paver Accents • Planters & Tree Grates • Bike Racks & Benches
5 New Perennial Landscaping
126 CENTRAL ELEMENTARY P HARDSCAPE DROP OFF AREA
207 CENTRAL ELEMENTARY P DROP OFF IMPROVEMENTS
RECOMMENDED: Hardscape Parkway
Video of Morning Operations (February 2, 2017; 8:35-8:55am)
Backups to 8th Street Proposed Adjustment • Cars Don’t Pull Up • Larger Drop-Off Area • Students Remain in Cars • Limited Paved Area
8 BIKE RACKS Downtown
259 BIKE RACKS 11th Street
1026 RECOMMENDED
BIKE RACKS Metra Station
1127 BUMP OUTS/CURB EXTENSIONS +
Protects Parking
Shorter Crosswalks
RECOMMENDED: All Side Streets with Parking More Greenspace
1230 TRAFFIC CALMING: SPEED TABLES +
POSITIVES RECOMMENDED: (Contingent on Funding) • Slows Traffic • Raised Intersection @ 11th • Protect Pedestrians • Speed Table @ 8th • Driver Awareness 1332 SIDESTREETS
Maintain Brick Side Streets
1438 LIGHTING & SIGNAGE
Historic Lighting
o Paint Poles More Way-finding Signage
1539
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE: PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS
Permeable Pavements • Downtown • Parking Lanes
POSITIVES • Promotes Infiltration • Water Quality & Quantity
1644
Central Avenue, downtown Wilmette, looking east
Central Avenue, just east of Wilmette Avenue, looking east
Central Avenue (FAU 1296) Green Bay Road to Sheridan Road Village of Wilmette
Ground Level Photographs
Central Avenue at 7th Street, looking west
Central Avenue near 5th Street, looking east
Central Avenue (FAU 1296) Green Bay Road to Sheridan Road Village of Wilmette
Ground Level Photographs
Central Avenue at 4th Street, looking west
Central Avenue at Sheridan Road, looking east
Central Avenue (FAU 1296) Green Bay Road to Sheridan Road Village of Wilmette
Ground Level Photographs Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce
June 6, 2016
Mr. Randall S. Blankenhorn Secretary of Transportation Illinois Department of Transportation 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway Springfield, Illinois 62764
Re: Central Avenue Streetscape Project Village of Wilmette
Dear Mr. Blankenhorn:
Please accept this letter of support for the Village of Wilmette’s grant application for the Central Avenue Streetscape Project for funding through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP). The proposed project is located in the heart of Wilmette’s vibrant Village Center and a hub for community events and pedestrian activity. Central Avenue is an FAU Route and a recipient of an STP grant for roadway reconstruction in 2019.
The Village of Wilmette is committed to improving the Central Avenue business district through the use of safety enhancements, environmentally- sensitive infrastructure and pedestrian- friendly streetscape. We are confident that the state’s ITEP investment in Central Avenue will foster continued economic vitality in the Village Center.
The Central Avenue business district is home to Wilmette’s Village Hall, the Metra Train Station and numerous shops and restaurants.
On behalf of the Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce, I am pleased to offer my support for this project and request that it be approved for funding through ITEP. Please feel free to call me at 847-853-2290 if you have any questions. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mike Donnelly, North Shore Community Bank 2016-17 Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce President
Ph. 847.251.3800 Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce 351 Linden Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091 Fax 847.251.6321 Wilmettechamber.org
Public Involvement Summary
A public meeting was held at the Village Hall on November 10, 2016 to present the existing conditions for the project and ideas for improvements. A Survey Monkey with 24 questions was handed out at the meeting and placed on the Village website. 105 people completed the survey. Three additional comments were received on a comment sheet at the meeting or in emails after the meeting. There were also 75 comments placed on post- it notes on the aerial exhibit displayed at the meeting.
A public meeting consideration was held at the Village Hall on April 6, 2017, in conjunction with the municipal services committee (MSC) meeting, to present three decision points for the committee’s consideration. The first decision point covered back-in angled parking. The second decision point covered the possible implementation of green infrastructure on Central Avenue which the MSC supported as long as the budget would allow it, and the third decision point dealt with bike lanes versus parking lanes. Four options of bike lanes and parking lanes were developed: 1) no bike lanes on Central Avenue, 2) shared vehicle/bike lanes on Central Avenue, 3) weaving shared vehicle/bike lanes, and 4) dedicated bike lanes. TranSystems presented the project and then the public was allowed to comment on the options. The three Village Trustees on the MSC eliminated options three and four, tabled discussions until the next meeting, and requested more information on the parking usage of Central Avenue in the residential section of the roadway. They also requested more information on the costs and benefits for back-in angled parking.
A public meeting was held at the Village Hall on May 3, 2017 to present information on previous decision points. The first decision point for the committee to decide on was whether or not to implement back in angled parking in the downtown area of Central Avenue. The committee voted against implementation. The second decision point for the committee was on the bike lane versus parking lane options. There were two options presented: 1) no bike lanes on Central Avenue, 2) shared vehicle/bike lanes. TranSystems presented the project and then the public was allowed to comment on the options. The three Village Trustees voted for option one.
Sign in sheets, a list of comments and meeting summaries can be found on the following pages.
PUBLIC MEETING #1 – NOVEMBER 10, 2016
Comments listed below are copied from stick-it-notes left on exhibits at the Public Meeting for the Central Avenue Reconstruction Project on November 10, 2016. Comment # Comments Comment Summary topic
This is cool and interesting. Do a pop-up of this for residents to try. As a cyclist, I would love it. So much safer. (Comment refers to Pro-Back in reverse angle 1 back in/reverse angle parking exhibit.) parking Current law mandates backup cameras in new cars (but not retroactive). Any configuration of parking will be safer as backup cameras become more prevalent. (Comment refers to back in/reverse angle Pro-Back in reverse angle 2 parking exhibit.) parking
Elderly people (and some not so elderly people) can barely park front wards, much Negative-Back in reverse angle 3 less trying to back into a space. parking What about pedestrians? Will they feel safer having cars backing up into them? You could add those concrete parking stopper to prevent cars from backing too far. (Comment refers to back in/reverse angle parking 4 exhibit). Back in reverse angle parking
Back in parking is a GREAT idea. Riding through downtown is now positively scary. Ecen for an experienced biker. Do a pilot/ demonstration of back in/reverse angle parking. Once people try it out, they will Pro-Back in reverse angle 5 understand it and might like it. parking
Can these shelters be upgraded they look like vintage 1980s. Not very attractive. Will new asthetic standards for street furniture be a part of this project? (Refers to Pace bus 6 shelters in business district) Asthetics-Bus Shelters
Put some signage on SHERIDAN to direct cyclists to stop and eat downtown. People riding on Sheridan bike lane don't know 7 about business district on Central Avenue. Signage
Given the stormwater issues in the village, it is essential to begin incorporating green stormwater infrastructure. As much of this should be included as possible. It's also just Green Stormwater 8 asthetically pleasing. infrastructure Need a safe way to get from Metra Station down Central on a bike (Crossing to 9 Greenleaf Avenue is scary!) Safety-Biking Existing bike route to McKenzie, HMS, and WJHS have a key crossing point at Green Bay 10 Road. Bike path More parking can be added if the Chase Bank lot would be open on weekends and after 5 11 PM on weekdays. Parking
Cover Bikes on stands at Central. Make sure racks allow for baskets on bikes-many have baskets since people are commuting. Need 12 safe bike passage through downtown. Asthetics-Bike racks Have we considered making Central from 12th St. East to Wilmette Avenue closed to cars? Protected pedestrian zone? We could 13 experiment with it? Business District
Merchants and restaurants using sidewalks for addtitional dining should be encouraged to minimize their impact on sidewalk width and ability of walkers to pass extends to their 14 use of planters. Business District
Biking through the village center on central and wilmette is dangerous, even if you are cautious and going slowly. Cars are not 15 observant and sidewalks are too narrow. Business District-Biking
It's too dangerous currently for kids who are old enough to bike independently to bike on the street. But it's dangerous to pedestrians and restaurant customers to have them on 16 the sidewalk. Safety-Biking 17 Level sidewalks for easy running Sidewalks
The way benches face matters. Backless benches allow people to face either way. Or if sidewalk width is available two benches 18 facing each other is great. Asthetics Another vote for trying back in parking along Central. A test or pop-up would be a good idea. Seconding the back in parking for a solution to making biker safer on central Pro-Back in reverse angle 19 Avenue. parking I would be happy for us to try back in Pro-Back in reverse angle 20 diaganol parking and see how it goes. parking This is a dangerous intersection for drivers, walkers and bikers, especially going from Safety-11th and Central Ave. 21 south to north. intersection 11th and Central should be a 4-way top sign! Safety-11th and Central Ave. 22 How about a Round-a-bout? intersection
This intersection (referring to 11th & Central) can be tricky if crossing Central. Low visibility, fast traffic, the current bump outs seem like they should help, but somehow it Safety-11th and Central Ave. 23 still seems dangerous. intersection
More native plantings in planted areas! Instead of the walkway on east side being forced north/towards central to avoid the electric box, why not route it south/away from central around electric box wouldn't it be safer? (Referring to 11th and Central 24 Intersection) Asthetics The built-in planters need improvement or 25 replaced. Asthetics
Please explain to residents and educate them about the need for safer biking/walking to be a forward looking village that promotes a healthy lifestyle. We are falling behind other villages on the North Shore and country. 26 Don't impede progress. Safety-Bike Path
Need more bike racks space for kids bikes at 27 Central Elementary School area. Asthetics Bike Racks I liked Fenton's (Mark Fenton) recommendation of a slightly raised crosswalk "tables" so crosswalk is very visible 28 and cars must slow down a bit. Crosswalk tables Can we encourage less driving of kids to school? More biking and walking, Safer and 29 also cleaner air. PSA
30 More bike racks along the business area! Asthetics-Bike Racks What about metered parking to raise revenue and encourage free parking in lots a 31 block away? PSA
Bike racks!! (Referring to exhibit photo of bike chained up to street sign post). Evanston has unobtrustive, beautiful racks that do not cost much. Bikers are good consumers and 32 will frequent businesses in town. Asthetics-Bike racks This lack of use of most street parking is typical. (Referring to Question 17 exhibit photo of empty street parking). All homes have parking off of alley way. This space should be recaptured for other active 33 transportation uses. Pro-Bike path Bike lane-Yes!!! Consider a protected lane between sidewalk and parked car. Kids and other less confident riders feel much safer there. Safe routes to Central Elementary 34 School. Pro-Bike path With lane width at a premium let's not just take the state/fed standards as a limit. Since variances are possible, if an extra 1' of narrower lane would enable us to do something great, let's go for it! (Supporting a 35 bike lane) Pro-Bike path
Fourth and Central avenue is something of a "Main + Main" intersection. Something to make it more visually appealing would be nice. I hope that asthetics don't get short 36 changed in this project. Asthetics
Next meeting, I would love to see artistic renderings, not just cross-sections. If you want people to embrace and get excited, show them a pretty picture! Show the redesigned street, with bike lanes and green 37 infrastrucure etc. Pro-Bike Lanes Need crosswalks at Sheridan and Central 38 Intersection Safety-Crosswalks Need safe bike path route/path to Gillson 39 Beach. Safety-Pro Bike path
Pedestrian crossing here would slow drivers coming around curve to south/north. 40 (Between 3rd and Sheridan) Safety
Put way finding signage on Sheridan directing cyclists/ped. To downtown restaurants and shops, Sheridan is the biggest, most used bike way in the area, and we are not taking 41 advantage of commercial opportunities. PSA 42 Implement no smoking and littering PSA 43 Pace 421 & 422 PSA The steepness from tracks is really challenging for kids/inexperienced riders. What can be done to help? These Green bay intersections in general are not friendly to 44 non-motorized users. Safety-Bike path Could there be a street table for the trail 45 crossing at the Metra Station? Crosswalk tables
The pedestrian walkways are very dangerous. Wilmette downtown is a ghost town most of the time. As a resident who lives 4 blocks from the village center and walks to town almost daily I have seen so many close calls. People can be more patient 46 crossing the street-given how little traffic. Safety-Pedestrian crossing
Let's keep bikes off sidewalks by making Centarl avenue safe for cyclists. Back in Pro-Back in reverse angle 47 diaganol parking would help immensely. parking Bicycles in downtown area: conflict with pedestrians on sidewalks and with cars in streets. What can be done? (Between 11th 48 and 12th) Pro Bike Lane Need a safe way to get kids, commuters 49 across Green Bay Road. Safety Please add more bike racks to Metra Station. 50 Seconded. Asthetics-Bike racks Bike racks are full all summer. We need more 51 racks. Asthetics-Bike racks
Show sidewalk areas used for outdoor restaurant seating, consider interference with walkers, and expansion of seating areas. 52 (Between 11th and 12th) Business District
It feels dangerous to ride through the downtown, yet from a commercial standpoint, we want people to ride. Also lots of people ride through to metra racks. Think about bike lanes shared lanes and other 53 ways to share space safely across all modes. Pro-Bike Lanes People speed through 11th and Wilmette 54 intersections. Safety-Speeding 55 To much traffic on 11th Safety 0% Driver's don't get it. Some stop as if it were a stop sign. 10% Ignore it even if there is a person waiting to cross. 50% will stop 56 appropriately. PSA 57 Have no smoking in parking lots PSA People don't stop let us cross or people stop 58 no need. Safety Have no smoking to eliminate litter and 59 poison when walking downtown. PSA Make all downtown and condos and apartments no smoking implement by police 60 ticket punishment. PSA Ugliest sign post of all time. Three signs stacked is not a good idea. Referring to sign post on Northwest corner of 10th and 61 central. Asthetics
Consider "pop-up" back in diaganol parking Pro-Back in reverse angle 62 at Central School's teacher parking lots. parking (Teacher's lot)
Parking is lightly used one side provides plenty. We need to accommodate all road users, to create safe routes to schools for our 63 kids. Protected bike lane! Pro-Bike lanes No Bike Lanes! Don't Eliminate parking for a bike lane. Don't restrict parking to one side 64 of the street for a bike lane. Negative-Bike Lanes No bike lane is needed on central. The street is wide enough to safely accommodate bikes without a lane. The lane provides no real 65 benefit. Negative-Bike Lanes
Can protected bike lanes be considered? Would protected bike lanes safely protect 66 children at Central School? Pro-Bike Lanes Please add bike lanes for safer travel on 67 Central. Pro-Bike Lanes Please add bike lanes to promote safe and 68 healthy activity and transportation. Pro-Bike Lanes Please have protected bike lane-connect GB 69 Road to Sheridan Road. Pro-Bike Lanes I would like to see a bike lane on one side I think this would work only if the car line up for Central School can be put on another 70 street. Pro-Bike Lanes Calm the traffic here moves very fast in this stretch, heading on to/off of Sheridan Road between Sheridan and Third Street. What about a raised median with some landscaping on it? Slow the flow or even just 71 a change in road surface such as brick. Safety-Speeding 72 Better signage to ped/bike underpass. Signage Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q1 Please enter your name, e-mail, and mailing address (required) Answered: 103 Skipped: 0
# Responses Date 1 Stacy Hillyer. 803 Lake Ave wilmette. [email protected] 4/2/2017 3:05 PM 2 Loryn Kogan, [email protected], 1020 Greenleaf Ave. 3/27/2017 9:14 PM
3 Central Avenue Residents Kathleen Hidder, [email protected], 629 Central 3/24/2017 5:44 PM 4 Brae Korin, [email protected], 706 Laurel Ave, Wilmette 3/12/2017 4:14 PM
5 Central Avenue Residents Patrick Dolan, [email protected], 320 Central Ave 3/7/2017 5:30 PM
6 Central Avenue Residents Philip Steptoe 1024 Central Avenue Willamette 60091 2/4/2017 5:52 PM [email protected]
7 Central Avenue Residents William Klein, [email protected], 400 Central, Wilmette 2/4/2017 3:18 PM 8 [email protected] 2/3/2017 9:36 AM
9 Central Avenue Residents Ron Baakkonen, [email protected], 909 Central Ave., Wilmette 2/2/2017 10:27 AM
10 Central Avenue Residents Charles Reiter [email protected] 830 Central 1/31/2017 11:08 PM
11 Central Avenue Residents John O'Callaghan, [email protected], 526 Central Ave. 1/31/2017 10:23 PM
12 Central Avenue Residents Susmitha Bellam, [email protected], 909 Central Avenue 1/31/2017 5:21 PM
13 Central Avenue Residents Debbie Graham, [email protected], 1032 Central Avenue, 1/30/2017 11:06 PM Wilmette
14 Central Avenue Residents Steve Graham 1/30/2017 10:50 PM
15 Central Avenue Residents Libby Steigmann, [email protected], 344 Central Ave, Wilmette, 1/30/2017 8:20 PM IL
16 Central Avenue Residents Jenifer Giller, [email protected], 715 Central Avenue, Wilmette, 1/30/2017 5:00 PM IL 60091
17 Central Avenue Residents martin bariff, 1035 central, [email protected] 1/30/2017 1:46 PM
18 Central Avenue Residents Mark Stringer, [email protected], 1021 Central Ave 1/30/2017 1:20 PM
19 Central Avenue Residents Scott Pattullo, [email protected], 330 Central Ave 1/30/2017 12:23 PM
20 Central Avenue Residents Kelly Gruner, [email protected], 610 central ave, wilmette il 1/25/2017 4:53 PM 60091
21 Karleen S McAllester, [email protected], 323 Wilshire Drive East, Wilmette, IL 60091 12/2/2016 10:15 AM
22 [email protected] 11/28/2016 9:17 PM
23 Central Avenue Residents Jeff Fishman (Gold Medal Cleaners), [email protected], 1123 11/28/2016 1:28 PM Central Ave 24 Neil Ferrari, [email protected], 2546 Laurel, Wilmette 11/26/2016 10:40 AM 25 Brian Bewley, [email protected], 719 Washington Avenue 11/25/2016 5:56 PM 26 Tammy Smiley, 705 11th Street #407, [email protected] 11/23/2016 9:10 AM 27 Ann Retzinger [email protected] 304 Hollywood Ct. Wilmette 11/22/2016 3:50 PM
28 Central Avenue Residents John Avioli, [email protected], 302 Central Avenue 11/22/2016 2:39 PM 29 705 11th Street Unit 210 11/21/2016 3:39 PM
30 Central Avenue Residents 1039 Central Avenue 11/21/2016 3:12 PM 31 624 11th street 11/21/2016 3:06 PM 32 Jeff Danielsen, the [email protected], 1437 Forest Ave. 11/20/2016 10:42 PM 33 darcy powers 500 maple [email protected] 11/20/2016 10:59 AM
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34 Laurie Farrell [email protected] 857 Michigan Ave., Wilmette 11/19/2016 2:01 PM
35 Elementary School Faculty Becky Littmann, [email protected], 900 Central Avenue 11/19/2016 12:30 PM Wilmette 36 [email protected] 11/19/2016 11:56 AM
37 Elementary School Faculty Maia Snyder, [email protected] 11/19/2016 7:55 AM
38 Central Avenue Residents James D. Allen, [email protected], 408 Central Ave., Wilmette, 11/18/2016 10:14 PM IL 60091 39 Charles Kitchen, 705 11th Street #207, Wilmette, [email protected] 11/18/2016 9:23 PM 40 Bethanee Schlosser, [email protected], 429 Maple Ave, Wilmette, IL 60091 11/18/2016 8:27 PM
41 Central Avenue Residents Lisa Metz, [email protected], 901 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL 11/18/2016 4:58 PM 60091
42 Central Avenue Residents Rhonda Bariff [email protected] 1035 Central Avenue 11/18/2016 4:35 PM 43 Becca Meyer [email protected] 622 Washington Ave 11/18/2016 3:10 PM
44 Central Avenue Residents Chris Pauly [email protected] 521 Central Ave 11/18/2016 2:10 PM 45 William Benjamin, 623 Linden Avenue, Wilmette IL. [email protected] 11/18/2016 1:12 PM
46 Robert Teska, 705 11th St. #210 11/18/2016 1:05 PM
47 Tom Tramm, 518 Washington Avenue, Wilmette IL. [email protected] 11/18/2016 12:49 PM
48 Steve Jansen, 925 Oakwood Avenue Wilmette IL., [email protected] 11/18/2016 12:36 PM
49 Central Avenue Residents 606 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL. 60091 11/18/2016 12:31 PM 50 Beth Drucker, 2500 Greenwood, Wilmette, IL. 60091, [email protected] 11/18/2016 12:22 PM
51 Anne Nagle, 1139 Manor Drive Wilmette, IL. [email protected] 11/18/2016 12:17 PM
52 Randall S. Harmon, [email protected] 11/18/2016 12:11 PM
53 Karen Miller, 1007 Lake Avenue, Wilmette IL., [email protected] 11/18/2016 12:06 PM
54 Bruce Miller, 1007 Lake Avenue Wilmette, IL. [email protected] 11/18/2016 11:42 AM
55 P.O. Box 280 Wilmette Avenue 11/18/2016 11:38 AM
56 John Bowman, 321 Washington Avenue, Wilmette, [email protected] 11/18/2016 11:31 AM
57 Beth Drucker, 2500 Greenwood, Wilmette, IL. 60091 11/18/2016 11:26 AM
58 Tammy Smiley, 705 11th St. Wilmette Ave, IL. 60091, [email protected] 11/18/2016 10:57 AM
59 Seth Stein, 716 Elder Ct. Glencoe, IL. 60022, [email protected] 11/18/2016 10:48 AM
60 Robert Fitzgerald, [email protected], 250 Laurel Avenue 11/18/2016 10:44 AM 61 Karen Glennemeier, [email protected], 719 Laurel Ave 11/17/2016 3:44 PM 62 Mary Frandsen [email protected] 3023 Thayer St., Evanston 11/17/2016 11:39 AM 63 Alex Cui, [email protected], 2401 Concord Ln Wilmette 11/17/2016 10:21 AM
64 Elementary School Faculty [email protected] 11/16/2016 9:47 PM 65 Linda Diekman, [email protected], 302 Park Ave. Wilmette, IL 60091 11/16/2016 5:30 PM
66 Elementary School Faculty Danielle, [email protected], 2648 N Orchard St Chicago, IL 11/16/2016 5:16 PM 60614
67 Elementary School Faculty [email protected] 11/16/2016 5:14 PM 68 Marie Ortmann 11/16/2016 5:12 PM
69 Ben Tolsky [email protected] 339 Lamon Ave 11/16/2016 11:38 AM 70 [email protected] 11/16/2016 11:22 AM
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71 Elementary School Faculty Lauren Wysocke, [email protected], 910 Central Ave., 11/16/2016 11:22 AM Wilmette, IL 60091
72 Elementary School Faculty Joanna [email protected] 11/16/2016 9:22 AM
73 Elementary School Faculty Andrea Zito, [email protected], 910 Central mi 11/16/2016 8:23 AM 74 francine and david dudzinski 11/15/2016 6:32 PM 75 [email protected] 11/13/2016 6:38 PM 76 Norm Ryan, [email protected], 706 Laurel Ave, Wilmette, IL 11/13/2016 4:36 PM 77 Andrea Taylor [email protected] 11/13/2016 2:46 PM
78 Elementary School Faculty Chris Rusnak, [email protected], 1849 W Belle Plaine Ave 11/13/2016 9:42 AM Chicago 60613 79 Will Heelan, [email protected], 1606 Elmwood Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 11/12/2016 9:56 PM 80 Mark Cotovsky, [email protected], 1023 1/2 Linden Ave. Wilmette, 60091 11/12/2016 5:02 AM 81 Rachel Riedl, 1312 Elmwood Ave, Wilmette; [email protected] 11/11/2016 10:49 PM 82 Amy Hedstrom 600 3rd Street 11/11/2016 9:30 PM
83 Central Avenue Residents Howard Soriano, [email protected], 530 Central Ave 11/11/2016 6:34 PM 84 David Zazra, [email protected], 705 11th Street, APT 206, Wilmette, IL 60091 11/11/2016 5:18 PM
85 Lisa Cox, [email protected], 1232 Elmwood Ave. 11/11/2016 5:12 PM
86 Central Avenue Residents Marija Pauly, [email protected]; 521 Central Ave 11/11/2016 5:05 PM
87 Central Avenue Residents 711 Central Ave 11/11/2016 10:57 AM 88 321 Washington Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091 11/11/2016 10:22 AM
89 610 8th St 11/10/2016 10:46 PM
90 5477 N Marmora, Chicago, IL 11/10/2016 10:04 PM
91 Central Avenue Residents 817 Central Ave. 11/10/2016 9:49 PM 92 1404 Hinman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201 11/10/2016 9:03 PM
93 221 Linden Ave. 11/10/2016 7:36 PM
94 1046 Elmwood Ave 11/10/2016 7:15 PM
95 1202 LAke 11/10/2016 7:00 PM
96 510 Laurel Ave 11/10/2016 6:44 PM
97 911 Linden 11/10/2016 6:23 PM
98 1200 Wilmette 11/10/2016 5:50 PM
99 Central Avenue Residents 1105 Central Ave 11/10/2016 5:17 PM
100 Central Avenue Residents Beth & Matt Lambrecht, 1131 Central Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091 11/10/2016 5:03 PM 101 test 11/10/2016 4:47 PM 102 1200 Wilmette Ave 11/10/2016 4:38 PM 103 1572 maple ave, Evanston 11/10/2016 4:34 PM
3 / 3 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q2 How do you use Central Avenue? (check all that apply) Answered: 101 Skipped: 2 100%
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0% Live on Work/Own Bike Walk/Run Shop Central PACE Bus Central a Elementar System business y School on... Answer Choices Responses
Live on Central 36.63% 37
Work/Own a business on Central 9.90% 10
Bike 45.54% 46
Walk/Run 64.36% 65
Shop 71.29% 72
Central Elementary School 34.65% 35
PACE Bus System 11.88% 12 Total Respondents: 101
2 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q3 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is low and 5 is high, how do you value parallel parking on the street in Central Avenue's residential section (between 11th Street and Sheridan Road)? Answered: 101 Skipped: 2 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 27.72% 9.90% 9.90% 12.87% 39.60% 28 10 10 13 40 101 1.00
3 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q4 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is low and 5 is high, how do you value the on-street parking in Central Avenue's downtown district (between Green Bay Road and 11th Street)? Answered: 102 Skipped: 1 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 7.84% 8.82% 13.73% 11.76% 57.84% 8 9 14 12 59 102 1.00
4 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q5 I am in favor of losing some on-street parking to improve biking options. (choose one) Answered: 103 Skipped: 0 100%
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0% Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Disagree Agree or Agree Disagree Answer Choices Responses
Strongly Disagree 33.01% 34
Disagree 17.48% 18
Neither Agree or Disagree 5.83% 6
Agree 19.42% 20
Strongly Agree 24.27% 25 Total 103
5 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q6 How would you characterize your opinion of "back-in" or "reverse angle" parking in the downtown district? (choose one) Answered: 102 Skipped: 1 100%
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0% Never heard Heard the Understand Understand Would like of it term(s) but the term(s) the term(s) to learn more don't know and don't and like the what they... like the... concept
Answer Choices Responses
Never heard of it 20.59% 21
Heard the term(s) but don't know what they mean 7.84% 8
Understand the term(s) and don't like the concept 22.55% 23
Understand the term(s) and like the concept 36.27% 37
Would like to learn more 12.75% 13 Total 102
6 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q7 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is seldom and 5 is often, how often do you use the PACE bus system along Central Avenue? Answered: 103 Skipped: 0 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 75.73% 6.80% 11.65% 2.91% 2.91% 78 7 12 3 3 103 1.00
7 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q8 How would you characterize the PACE bus stops on Central Avenue? (choose one) Answered: 84 Skipped: 19 100%
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0% Too many stops Too few stops The right number of stops
Answer Choices Responses
Too many stops 13.10% 11
Too few stops 3.57% 3
The right number of stops 83.33% 70 Total 84
8 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q9 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is not effective and 5 is very effective, how would you rate the drop-off, pick-up, and traffic operations at Central Elementary School? Answered: 88 Skipped: 15 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 11.36% 22.73% 28.41% 28.41% 9.09% 10 20 25 25 8 88 1.00
9 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q10 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is not safe and 5 is very safe, how would you rate the safety of children who access Central Elementary School? Answered: 88 Skipped: 15 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 5.68% 18.18% 22.73% 32.95% 20.45% 5 16 20 29 18 88 1.00
10 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q11 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is not at all and 5 is most of the time, how much do you bike along Central Avenue? Answered: 100 Skipped: 3 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 38.00% 13.00% 20.00% 18.00% 11.00% 38 13 20 18 11 100 1.00
11 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q12 If you bike on Central Avenue, describe where you bike. (check all that apply) Answered: 59 Skipped: 44 100%
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0% Ride on Central Ride on Central Ride casually Ride to Central to get from to access through the Elementary Green Bay Trail businesses neighborhood School to Sheridan R...
Answer Choices Responses
Ride on Central to get from Green Bay Trail to Sheridan Road bike lanes 55.93% 33
Ride on Central to access businesses 67.80% 40
Ride casually through the neighborhood 71.19% 42
Ride to Central Elementary School 18.64% 11 Total Respondents: 59
12 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q13 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is poor and 5 is excellent, how would you rate the bike facilities on Central Avenue to park and lock your bike? Answered: 83 Skipped: 20 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 27.71% 31.33% 24.10% 12.05% 4.82% 23 26 20 10 4 83 1.00
13 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q14 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is poor and 5 is excellent, how would you rate the pedestrian accommodations on Central Avenue (sidewalk condition, sidewalk location, street cross- walks, intersection ramps, etc.)? Answered: 103 Skipped: 0 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 4.85% 16.50% 25.24% 31.07% 22.33% 5 17 26 32 23 103 1.00
14 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q15 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is very difficult and 5 is not difficult, how easy is it for you to access and navigate to the Metra Station from Central Avenue? Answered: 99 Skipped: 4 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 2.02% 7.07% 21.21% 28.28% 41.41% 2 7 21 28 41 99 1.00
15 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q16 Way-finding signage along Central Avenue is adequate. (choose one) Answered: 101 Skipped: 2 100%
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0% Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Other Disagree Agree or Agree (please Disagree specify)
Answer Choices Responses
Strongly Disagree 1.98% 2
Disagree 8.91% 9
Neither Agree or Disagree 28.71% 29
Agree 33.66% 34
Strongly Agree 16.83% 17
Other (please specify) 9.90% 10 Total 101
16 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q17 On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is not important and 5 is very important, how do you prioritize the protection of the parkway trees? Answered: 102 Skipped: 1 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 2.94% 1.96% 10.78% 21.57% 62.75% 3 2 11 22 64 102 1.00
17 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q18 How would you characterize the street lighting on Central Avenue? (choose all that apply) Answered: 99 Skipped: 4 100%
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0% Not enough Too much The right Like the Wish the lighting lighting amount of look of the lighting lighting light poles could be modernized Answer Choices Responses
Not enough lighting 29.29% 29
Too much lighting 3.03% 3
The right amount of lighting 55.56% 55
Like the look of the light poles 40.40% 40
Wish the lighting could be modernized 9.09% 9 Total Respondents: 99
18 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q19 There is too much traffic on Central Avenue. (choose one) Answered: 100 Skipped: 3 100%
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0% Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Disagree Agree or Agree Disagree Answer Choices Responses
Strongly Disagree 6.00% 6
Disagree 24.00% 24
Neither Agree or Disagree 39.00% 39
Agree 26.00% 26
Strongly Agree 5.00% 5 Total 100
19 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q20 Speeding is a problem along Central Avenue. (choose one) Answered: 100 Skipped: 3 100%
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0% Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Disagree Agree or Agree Disagree Answer Choices Responses
Strongly Disagree 3.00% 3
Disagree 18.00% 18
Neither Agree or Disagree 25.00% 25
Agree 35.00% 35
Strongly Agree 19.00% 19 Total 100
20 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q21 There are a high number of accidents/crashes along Central Avenue. (choose one) Answered: 95 Skipped: 8 100%
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0% Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Disagree Agree or Agree Disagree Answer Choices Responses
Strongly Disagree 6.32% 6
Disagree 23.16% 22
Neither Agree or Disagree 57.89% 55
Agree 12.63% 12
Strongly Agree 0.00% 0 Total 95
21 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q22 Have you experienced or observed any street flooding or sewer back-ups on Central Avenue? Answered: 100 Skipped: 3 100%
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0% Yes No
Answer Choices Responses
Yes 24.00% 24
No 76.00% 76 Total 100
22 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q23 Green infrastructure often refers to environmentally friendly methods to manage the quantity and quality of storm water. On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is low and 5 is high, how do you value implementing green infrastructure on Central Avenue? Answered: 102 Skipped: 1 100%
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1 2 3 4 5 Total Weighted Average Ratings 7.84% 2.94% 27.45% 25.49% 36.27% 8 3 28 26 37 102 1.00
23 / 24 Central Avenue Improvements Survey Q24 Please add any other comments, questions, or concerns you have regarding your vision for Central Avenue. Answered: 69 Skipped: 34
# Responses Date 1 1. Do NOT put any stop signs on Central between 11th and 4th the way you did on Greenleaf at 3/27/2017 9:14 PM 9th. However, you might want to put one at 11th. I cross Central every day at 11th, and 4 out of 5 drivers stop there anyway. They think the little crosswalk stop sign is a regular stop. That causes more confusion than anything else.So you might as well put one there. Maybe it would stop people from speeding through downtown. 2. Try to do something about the large rounded plaza/curbs on the SE corner of Central and Wilmette, and the SW corner of Central and 11th. It's hard from a car to see traffic coming. 3. Don't add tons of signage. There are so many signs on poles in Wilmette, it's ridiculous. 4. I saw the photo of the paver bricks in parking lanes. I love the pavers in the library parking lot, but I feel they are unnecessary on the sides of the street and would confuse pedestrians and drivers. 4. The street needs paving between around 9th and 5th. 5. If there is money to address issues on Central, I say put it toward building an underpass by the tracks. Every other village along the North Shore has them except Wilmette. If I could add up all the time I have waited at downed gates over the 33 years I have lived here, it would add up to years. 2 I think a four way stop at Central School would help keep the area safer for children both during 3/24/2017 5:44 PM times when there is a crossing guard present and when there is not. Children go to the school for activities during non-school hours or just to play on the playground. All other elementary schools in Wilmette require complete stops by the school.
3 I would be very strongly opposed to widening Central Avenue or substantially increasing traffic. 2/4/2017 5:52 PM Ms. Berger-Raish's letter says there is no such proposal, but she doesn't quite say that it won't happen. I don't want to waste your time on false rumors. On the other hand if the situation changes and street widening is considered, I would like to be notified and be given an opportunity to be heard in opposition.
4 Not well lit for the visually impaired. Restaurants downtown with outdoor seating block ADA 2/4/2017 3:18 PM accessibility. Wheelchair/handicap able ramps have deteriorated at many intersection
5 Speeding is a problem so is failure to stop at stop signs. Bike can be scary because drivers don't 2/3/2017 9:36 AM look out. The pedestrian right of way at 10th and central is a point of confusion for many drivers and a difficult intersection to see clearly from the north south directions. The road surface and design could be better for biking. Central school parents need to start walking their kids. the amount of traffic, pollution and danger created is foolish to avoid be out for a few blocks. difficult for kids to ride bikes to any of the schools - Middle School, JH, SFX and Central. some one ways and clearly designated bike lanes might help.
6 Sidewalk condition between 9th and 11th is horrible. Poor drainage means that the sidewalks 2/2/2017 10:27 AM are often covered in ice an extremely hazardous. I have slipped and fallen often as I walk to the station - at least once per year. This needs to be fixed!! 7 The last round of changes in favor of the school means that 9th is routinely blocked (fire 1/31/2017 11:08 PM access?) and when it is I can't park in front of my house because of the pick-up lane. Couldn't you move the whole mess to 8th or Central? Come over one day and see how living on the corner really works? 8 Repaving long overdue! 1/31/2017 10:23 PM 9 As a homeowner on the block between 9th and 10th I want to make sure that the nature of 1/31/2017 5:21 PM Central Ave remains residential on my block rather than turning it into a parking area for downtown. 10 I don't think speeding is a problem. However, people are always turning around in the middle of 1/30/2017 11:06 PM the Central/11th St intersection when they see a parking spot on the other side of the street. this is very dangerous. Kids ride their bikes on the downtown sidewalks, even though the signs say walk your bikes. It would be good to have bike lanes in downtown Wilmette. However, drivers are going to have to be careful, which they aren't very careful now. I don't think trees should be cut down east of 11th street. this is a residential area where we value trees and quiet.
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11 LEAVE THE TREES ALONE. LEAVE THE LIGHTS EAST OF 11TH ALONE-KEEP IT RESIDENTIAL; 1/30/2017 10:50 PM DO NOT WIDEN CENTRAL STREET; KEEP CENTRAL STREET EAST OF 11TH RESIDENTIAL. 12 I feel strongly that we should not loose parkway trees!! The overall street surface needs 1/30/2017 8:20 PM improvement. I would love to see a more beautiful downtown Central Ave sidewalk area. I would not like anything that creates more traffic on the residential part of Central Ave. 13 need 4 way stop at 11th & Central. Cars travel too fast and do not obey stop for pedestrian signs 1/30/2017 1:46 PM (actually 1 of 2 is missing!). Would slow the car speed between Wilmette Ave and 11th st. Display NO U TURN sign at 11th & Central--I have seen often and an invitation for accidents! 14 Traffic/pedestrian flow around Central School is dangerous. Drivers frequently blow through 1/30/2017 12:23 PM the stop sign at 4th and Central. Could some traffic volume be moved to Greenleaf? 15 I would love to see rules on commercial signs/awnings loosened up a little--all the shops look 12/2/2016 10:15 AM the same and outdated. I would like to see the full sewer and green infrastructure plan implemented--but not just for Central Avenue and the eastside. It's time to develop the stormwater infrastructure on the westside WITHOUT anymore meetings on whether the westside deserves to have sewers updated. The village has spent approx.$750K on evaluating stormwater problems on the eastside and we're still without a solution. Meanwhile stormwater infrastructure on the eastside is just developed as a matter of course, without debate. 16 make sure paving is done to a high quality standard rather than low bidder that doesn't last like 11/28/2016 9:17 PM on other streets like greenleaf.
17 In the business district, the biggest concern is maintaining, if not adding to, available parking. 11/28/2016 1:28 PM Also very concerned about the construction process itself, and trying to minimize the length of time the business district is impacted. Would like to see intensive work done on those two blocks with longer hours and extra incentives/penalties for completing the work on time. I think this is far more important in the CBD where parking is critical than in the residential sections.
18 Why are we thinking about fixing a traffic/pedestrian/bike/parking problem that does not exist? 11/25/2016 5:56 PM Fix the storm water problem, but don't change anything else. Just because we have access to funding doesn't mean we have to do something just to spend it. I drive Central virtually every day, either towards Green Bay, Sheridan, or both, and there is no traffic problem. Speaking with merchants on Central, they think if the village just did a better job of advertising the available parking behind the buildings both north and south of Central, any parking issue would easily be solved. And in regards to biking, the reason most people don't bike is not because of the lack of bike lanes, but rather convenience. I bike the GB trail all the time and have no problem biking down Central or Linden to get there. Let's not overthink this. Fix the storm and sanitary infrastructure. The traffic, parking and biking infrastructure is fine as is. 19 It's very noisy in the business area, specifically Green bay Rd. to 11th Street on Central Avenue. 11/23/2016 9:10 AM Specific to car/pace, trucks and motorcycles.
20 Too many cars parked on Central during the summer months for folks using the "free beach", 11/22/2016 2:39 PM and too much speeding. Non-residents don't want to pay for the beach or parking, and so they clog the street parking, which is a problem for residents. Thanks. 21 Prohibit (enforce) biking on sidewalks in downtown. Improve safety at 11th and Central Ave - 11/21/2016 3:39 PM increase sight distance. Add pedestrian crossing sign in middle of Central Ave. Change pavement material between 10th and R&R tracks to reduce speed and evidence pedestrian character (i.e. use brick pavers). Also adds to charm of downtown. 22 Restrict number of sidewalk eating tables on Central & Wilmette & downtown area. Re. 11/21/2016 3:12 PM question 19: restrict trucks. 23 Don't increase the number of eating places or bars in downtown. Already problems with parking 11/21/2016 3:06 PM and traffic, difficult to use sidewalk b/c of tables. 24 I feel we really need to upgrade the look of downtown Wilmette as we are becoming more of a 11/20/2016 10:42 PM destination. We are far behind nearly every suburb in redevelopment of our downtown to be more welcoming and attractive.
2 / 6 Central Avenue Improvements Survey
25 Would help a lot at Central School if there was no parking in the AM on 1st block east of school 11/20/2016 10:59 AM as people are dropping off...there is no parking after 2:30pm so why would there be parking in the AM? Causes people to pass cars in opposite lane when cars are queuing for drop off. Also .. I am all for biking, eliminating parking all together, etc etc around Central and Wilmette Avenues - provided there is SOMEWHERE for cars to park when patronizing the downtown businesses. It is already difficult to find parking. Often times parents double park around Rock House, theater, etc when dropping off their kids. Very dangerous. 26 Crossing guards at Central school do an amazing job. The traffic on Lake Ave. with parking and 11/19/2016 2:01 PM having to drop off via walking is a nightmare, too. Maybe the school should work with police to find a safer option. People speed on Lake Ave worse than Central, it seems. No easy answer as we've experienced different strategies with other risks and benefits at Catholic schools in Wilmette and Winnetka... 27 Many staff members at Central School do not live nearby and depend on street parking because 11/19/2016 12:30 PM we do not have a parking lot (we want to keep our playground as a green space for our students). Our students can start biking in May of their 2nd grade year...so biking for our students really takes place in 3rd and 4th grades (we are a K-4 school). Improved sidewalks/bike lanes would be more convenient for our families to move to and from school, especially during nice/warmer weather when they are frequently used. Our carpool lane actually runs pretty smoothly but can get backed-up with long lines during bad weather and winter months. We also need to be informed of the timeline for the construction - we are hoping most of the construction can take place over the summer months when school is not in session since our carpool line is on Central Avenue. Thank you for asking our opinions! 28 Central School automobile traffic is ridiculously congested; school/village need to encourage 11/18/2016 10:14 PM much more pedestrian attendance, discourage auto pick-up/drop-off. Speeding is a concern but not so much that additional stop signs would solve. Police enforcement probably better solution. In the same vein, it is stunning how many people either don't stop or sometimes completely blast through the stop sign corner at 4th. We are surprised there's never been an accident there in our over 25 years at this location. Would not like to see bike lanes in residential section of Central. The pace of this town is slow enough that bikers and autos ought to be able to co-exist without us residents giving up preferred parking in front of our homes for guests and family. A final note: the general tone, pace and quality of life in Wilmette is very desirable. We've lived in two homes in our 35 years here and are wary when "improvements" on the status quo are being dreamt up by people who don't live here. 29 Walking on Central Ave is hazardous due to sidewalk restaurant seating+cyclists. My apt 11/18/2016 9:23 PM overlooks Central Ave and I regularly see erratic and dangerous driving such as backing out of 11th on to Central...
30 The parallel parking directly across from Central School between 9th and 10th Street creates a 11/18/2016 4:58 PM hazard to children trying to cross the street and cars pulling out from side streets. This occurs not just during school hours but on weekends as well. Living at the corner of 9th and Central, I have observed multiple accidents at this corner. Additionally many drivers do not observe or care to observe the school speed zone and hands-free law. If given the authority, I could be issuing tickets all day long if I stood out in front of my home at 9th and Central. Dudley Fair should be commended for the excellent job he does ensuring the children are able to safely cross the street at this incredibly busy corner during the drop off and pick up times. 31 I would very much like to see a four way stop at Central Avenue and llth Street. Cars travel very 11/18/2016 4:35 PM fast on Central and rarely stop for pedestrians, if at all. Very dangerous for pedestrians. Thank you for your consideration. 32 -I often ride to locations NW of my home. I use Greenleaf and Forest to avoid the traffic on 11/18/2016 1:12 PM Central. However it is necessary to rid eon Central west of 11th to reach Wilmette businesses, on Central this is where parking is most desired. -Permeable pavement is a problem for bicycles.
3 / 6 Central Avenue Improvements Survey
33 -Alternative infrastructure would be necessary. -The quality of driver's ability here is below 11/18/2016 1:05 PM average. The block is too narrow and busy to accommodate the time to park. -Too many mom's think their children cannot walk. Traffic westbound can be stuttered. -Bike facilities at metra station rack for Loyola's WSH students moving eastbound the options decrease drastically. - Sidewalks are wide and level in good repair. The problem exists at the H.C. ramp-curb road crown transitions. -Traffic signage on perf, steel post is poor design and ugly! -If there is an ordinance prohibiting bike riding in the VC the signage does nothing. Wayfinding immediately south of Metra at Greenleaf is confusing. -The lighting applied to the trees in the VC is fantastic; adding a lot of visual energy to the blocks. -A large number of drivers enter the VC in excess of the speed limit. This is a problem at the 11th street intersection. -12 years have not witnessed any incidents. -In the fall when residents are encouraged to rake leaves into the street that blocks catch basins and often flood the streets. 34 -Café seating on sidewalks in CBD interferes with pedestrian traffic. -Street lighting is generally 11/18/2016 12:49 PM OK. Exception is on rainy night, Headlight reflections make it difficult for pedestrians walking on central from Metra Station to home. Glare is the issue. -Curb extensions into roadway are a hazard to cyclists. -Parking in the central business district is precious, need more, not less. - LED Streetlight technology is progressing rapidly. Chicago is experimenting with interconnected lights that can be remotely operated, dimmed, etc. on an individual basis, this could be useful on Central. -Generally fewer signs is better. Street signs and light posts need better maintenance (painting, for instance.) 35 Make it more bike friendly by installing traffic calming measures, signage to educate motorists 11/18/2016 12:36 PM to cyclists rights, and "share the road" markings in the traffic lane.
36 PLEASE do not consider the Evanston bike lane idea, where parking is interior to the bike lane. 11/18/2016 12:31 PM That is CRAZY CONFUSING!
37 Consider pop-up demonstration of back in diagonal parking street table for bike trail crossing. 11/18/2016 12:17 PM Thank you for your forward thinking and this opportunity.
38 I'm looking forward to the completion 11/18/2016 12:11 PM
39 Thanks for asking. Look forward to Plans. 11/18/2016 11:42 AM
40 Alley between 8th & 9th access between central & Lake Ave.-is a problem when school pick up 11/18/2016 11:38 AM is occurring cannot always exit at Lake ave, big trucks. I think solving this school pickup & dropoff (another street) would make a bike lane more viable. I would like the swale plantings to be done in a very limited area to see how they work out. I want to be environmental, but they could end up being weed patches needing maintenance & unsightly.
41 Greenleaf is current city bike route. Keep central for cars, Greenleaf for bikes. 11/18/2016 11:31 AM
42 Very interested in walk & bike accomodations. I believe back in diagonal parking would be a 11/18/2016 11:26 AM great solution. Yes, Wilmette residents could figure it out!. Love the idea of an express.
43 How about no smoking downtown? Have no cars go down central Ave, in the business area. Put 11/18/2016 10:57 AM top and people can walk to street and stay dry from rain and sun. Come through bike.
44 Please put in a protected bike lane!!! 11/18/2016 10:48 AM 45 I know it is probably not feasible, but I would like to see as much restoration of the original 11/18/2016 10:44 AM brick paving as possible. If the parkway is to be re-planted with wildflower plantings and rain gardens etc., were considered for the parkways I would prefer to see a consistent designed planting of the parkways along the length of Central. Current engineering of handicapped access parking is poor. Yellow coating peels off of metallic, should be more sustainable. 46 Biking is very easy along the residential portion of Central Ave, even with parked cars and no 11/17/2016 3:44 PM bike lane, because the road is fairly wide and the traffic is light. But in the downtown area, biking is much less safe, and I don't feel comfortable letting my kids ride on the street. Having them on the sidewalk endangers pedestrians and restaurant-goers, and while I make them walk their bikes, it would be better to have a solution where people can ride on the streets safely, or have a sidewalk situation that provides space for bikes separate from pedestrians. 47 The Central School faculty really value and utilize the parking spots available on Central 11/16/2016 9:47 PM Avenue. We have a large faculty (teachers, paraprofessionals, and custodial staff), substitute teachers, traveling teachers, and parents that use these parking spots. It is very important to the faculty that we do not reduce the number of parking spots!
4 / 6 Central Avenue Improvements Survey
48 If people would follow the laws already in place (stopping at stop signs, following speed limits, 11/16/2016 9:22 AM etc) then accidents would be fewer and kids' safety would be higher at Central. More lighting away from downtown would be great. 49 Of course, the road is terrible, but am assuming that you're addressing that. Otherwise, it's a 11/15/2016 6:32 PM great street, although I do use Greenleaf for walking more. It's more leafy and neighborhoody. 50 Wondering why Greenleaf, a much wider street, isn't being considered for bike lanes. 11/13/2016 6:38 PM 51 - Need signage at Sheridan to direct people to underpass. - Central school pickup traffic could 11/13/2016 4:36 PM be directed to area of parkway for safety (lose some trees) -Enhanced and safer opportunities for biking would help young and old use this method of transport more. Maybe especially important to encourage those not using bikes currently. -Speed appears to be a significant--and possibly growing--issue on Central. Efforts to promote slower transit through built environment changes may be useful. 52 Parking for Central School can be challenging as there is no parking lot, no parking after 2:30 on 11/13/2016 9:42 AM the northeast side of Central, and there are more itinerant staff recently. It is particularly bad when leaves are raked into the street on Central and 9th Ave. How will that change with bike lanes? Will bikes swerve into the path of cars? If you designate bike lanes, drivers will assume (rightly or wrongly) that bikes are to stay in those lanes. I've seen this happen as bike lanes were introduced into Chicago. Perhaps having homeowners rake leaves onto the parkway as they do on Lake Ave is an easy solution. Additionally, there are often service vehicles parked somewhere along Central (lawn service, home contractors) during workdays. 53 Wish I could have attended the Open House. Hope that the plan can include normal bike lanes 11/12/2016 9:56 PM but not bike lanes between the curb and parked cars, like on Dodge in Evanston!
54 We need a Wilmette-wide Active Transport master plan! The Village should not have voted 11/11/2016 10:49 PM against it in the budget.
55 I would like bike lanes to my kids can ride all the way to Highcrest. But if cars are parked next to 11/11/2016 9:30 PM the bike lanes I don't think it will be safe because of the car doors.
56 If you want to make improvements to the downtown area feel free. But, please, please, please 11/11/2016 6:34 PM do not make unnecessary changes to Central Avenue that will increase traffic in the residential area between 11th and Sheridan Rd. The worst offenders of speeding today are the Pace buses. Perhaps the routes could be moved to smaller streets that might not be as amenable to speeding? Will residents and property owners on Central have any say on the planned "improvements"? Thank you for allowing input through this survey. Looking forward to more opportunity for dialogue.
57 Permeable bottom storm-water catch basins are a great idea, rain gardens are not, as they tend 11/11/2016 5:18 PM to be poorly maintained and produce mosquitoes when this happens.
58 Beauty and safety should be a priority linking the commercial district with our beaches. 11/11/2016 5:12 PM
59 I am supportive of improvements on central, including the addition of a bike lane. However 11/11/2016 10:57 AM would not want to lose parking in front of my house. Also think consideration should be given for the bike lane to follow from Central to Wilmette Ave so kids could bike to middle school in a safe lane and more people could safely bike to the forrest preserves.
5 / 6 Central Avenue Improvements Survey
60 Back-in parking requires greater driving skills than pulling into a parking space frontwards. And 11/11/2016 10:22 AM Wilmette has a sizable elderly population who aren't the most skilled drivers to begin with. People will be crashing into the cars in the adjoining spaces, going over the sidewalk and hitting pedestrians and trees, etc. And traffic will be tied up even longer than it is now, waiting for people to make numerous attempts to try to back into a parking space. I think the higher skills needed to back into a parking space need to be taken into consideration - along with the high number of older drivers in Wilmette that lack such skills. Even younger people with big mini- vans seem to struggle with normal parking, much less having to back into a space. I don't see how improvements to the downtown section of Central Ave. can be made without considering the larger context of the entire downtown area. I would like to see more parking lots or parking garages built away from Central and Wilmette Ave and angled parking on these 2 streets eliminated altogether - so wider sidewalks with more plants, more outside dining, etc. could be built. That would also eliminate the problems associated with backing out of angle parking spaces. And parking in downtown Wilmette is a big problem, with people holding up traffic waiting for someone to vacate a space because there are no other spaces available. Downtown parking is a big problem that needs to be addressed in a larger context, not just on Central Ave. One of the reasons cited for changing the parking in the downtown section of Central Ave. was the dangers of backing into bicyclists. I have NEVER seen a bicyclist on the downtown section of Central Ave. As noted below, the official bike route through Wilmette is on Greenleaf, just one street over. THAT'S where the bicyclists should be - and generally are. I also disagree with adding bike lanes on Central. Greenleaf, just one street over and parallel to Central, is the "official" bike route. Why would we add bike lanes on Central when bikers SHOULD BE on Greenleaf? I do not think Central School should be allowed to create traffic jams on Central at the beginning and end of the school days. I usually try to avoid Central during these times, which seems crazy. The school should be required to provide a vehicle waiting area ON ITS OWN PROPERTY and not be allowed to essentially use Central Ave. as its own private parking lot/pick-up and drop-off area.
61 I like green infrastructure in general, but I lower its priority on Central as Central is important 11/10/2016 10:46 PM for its commercial and transportation uses. A major complaint of mine is pedestrians jaywalking in the commercial part of Central despite about 5 or 6 designated crosswalks within 2 blocks. I also object to frequent UPS and Fedex trucks blocking a lane in the commercial blocks; the corporation wins and we pay the price in congestion.
62 Speeding is a problem on Central. Also, parking is too plentiful on the residential portions of 11/10/2016 9:49 PM the street, so some could be removed for a bike lane.
63 Let's be as ambitious as we can with these plans. These opportunities to do a full 11/10/2016 7:36 PM reconstruction, with federal funding, are rare. What the Village does here can promote economic development, environmental sustainability, and the health and enjoyment of the community -- and be a real showpiece and source of pride. "Make no small plans!" We can quote Burnham, even if we're not quite in Chicago proper. Thank you for your efforts.
64 Please educate and encourage residents about the need to be forward-looking in planning and 11/10/2016 7:15 PM construction projects. This is a progressive village that should be striving to help residents be healthy and make it easy for them to pursue an active lifestyle. Many more people would ride or walk to town, especially those within a 1 mile radius, if streets and sidewalks were more friendly and safer. 65 Something to accommodate trees in planters. Outdoor dining should be more condensed. MOre 11/10/2016 7:00 PM bike racks. 66 It is very important to me that kids can safely ride their bike to downtown Wilmette and to the 11/10/2016 6:44 PM Metra Train Station. Right now it is not safe. 67 Other material to sidewalks other than concrete. Stamped concrete perhaps? scoring concrete 11/10/2016 6:23 PM to add interest. doesn't like fake. 68 Beautification: planters, banners & bike racks. 11/10/2016 5:17 PM 69 The downtown business district is in pretty good shape. It was redone in pretty recent time. It 11/10/2016 5:03 PM was a very difficult time for our customers walking across on boards from the curb to our entry way. It was a big worry.
6 / 6 From: Berger, Brigitte To: CH-Dave Block Subject: FW: Central Elementary School drop-off pick-up area Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2016 7:58:53 AM
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2016 10:27 AM To: Berger, Brigitte
A big problem with dropping off children in the morning at Central Elementary is that cars don't pull up as far as possible which causes a 2-3 block backup east of Central on bad weather days. Parkway conditions are primary contributors to this in that parents avoid muddy areas or piles of snow in the winter. Many only pull up as far as the concrete right in front of the entrance wasting half of the drop off area and creating dangerous situations in which cars are driving around and in front of the queue. I think the solution is installing pavers that allow grass to grow through them over the entire parkway. This would be appealing aesthetically allowing grass to grow, less runoff rainwater and also allow snow to be readily removed making the entire parkway an inviting drop off area. The signage also needs to be improved and the crossing guard needs training to prioritize full use of the drop off area.
These are the type of pavers to which I am referring. I am sure there are better commercial options. https://www.pinterest.com/dariaszalinska/driveway-ideas/
Jerry Leber, 847-682-8425 944 Sheridan Rd. Wilmette, IL 60091 From: CH-Todd Bright To: CH-Dave Block Subject: FW: Denver union station Date: Friday, November 11, 2016 8:20:48 AM Attachments: IMG_0214.JPG
Beth Drucker asked us to consider this method of bumping out the intersections along Central. The bike lane marking are also interesting. I filed in PW pw://hq-pwint01.a-e.transyscorp.com:transyscorp-pw1/Documents/D{e7441740-e4ff-4f03-9698-896029ee2dd9}
PUBLIC MEETING #2 – APRIL 6, 2017
I oppose the Reverse Angle Parking plan. What a horrible idea...almost as bad as what Evanston did by squeezing in a bike lane between parked cars and the curb.
Please don't do it.
Jeff Burch 1729 Walnut Ave
Good Morning,
I am opposed to Reverse Angle Parking for the reasons cited below:
• It has not proven to be safer; it could be more dangerous and confusing to drivers. • Backing in leaves little margin of error to avoid impacting the cars on either side, which are more difficult to see. Backing out at least alleviates the confinement of adjacent cars. • Even if there is a marginal gain in safety, it will be at the expense of losing customers in the downtown. • Drivers will not feel confident and will avoid coming downtown in order to avoid hassle. • It would be inconsistent with parking elsewhere in Village. • “Back-in parking” is prohibited in other parts of the Village. • Sufficient parking is already a challenge in Downtown Wilmette; reverse angle parking would not add parking spaces and will add to congestion. • Exhaust blowing onto the sidewalks will negatively impact outdoor seating at restaurants, one of the most alluring aspects of Wilmette’s downtown. • Curb height will impact tailpipes on smaller, lower vehicles, causing damage to residents’ cars. • There will be a long learning curve while residents acclimate to the new system, causing more congestion and accidents. • There will be big problems during snow events; how will customers access their trunks when snow is piled up at the curb? • There is the potential for drivers to jump the curb and drive onto the sidewalks, injuring pedestrians. • This system will not enable the Village to reach the goal of adding a bike lane on Central.
Thank-you for the opportunity to share my opinion.
Jim Blomberg ______
I do not oppose the reverse parking issue. I have no problem with it, having learned to reverse park over 60 years ago. But your rationale for doing away with reverse parking makes sense. Please just keep the reengineering project simple. It seems as though we're becoming a society of "too much is too much" -- thanks! Julie Ieuter 2141 Lake Avenue
Subject: Please register my no-vote for this type of parking. 707 Laurel Wilmette [C]
Classification: Confidential
Thank you, Mike McCarthy 707 Laurel Wilmette
We are unable to attend the meeting on May 3 concerning the plans for Central Street Wilmette. However, we are very much opposed to the idea of back-in parking for the Central street business district. We would not consider parking in the business district if this was implemented. This would mean that we would not be able to get to the businesses on Central Street because we are handicapped and could not walk from a remote parking area even 2 blocks away.
We hope the plans will NOT include back-in parking for Central Street business district. Sincerely, Barbara and Ed Bennett 829 Sheridan Road. Wilmette
Hello,
As a resident of Wilmette I am very much opposed to angled parking downtown Wilmette. I like it the way it is and hate going into Glencoe or Winnetka where that is my option.
Thank you! Byrd Rhyne-Fisher 625 Maple Ave.
>Dear Central Street planners, > >I want to make it clear that I most strenuously oppose implementing >reverse angle parking considered with the Central street improvements. >It's an idea that clearly has the best intentions and looks good on >paper, but would be a disaster in action for a number of reasons. > >Many drivers are not skilled or comfortable enough in reverse. For >this reason, It will result in much property damage and personal >injury, and hold up traffic much more than backing out. > > Please take this proposal off the table. Very bad idea. > >Thanks. > >Mark Litin >847.826.0322
No one is a better driver in reverse. Confused drivers and lots of backing up would be enough to keep me out of village center.
Pat McCann
From: Ben Tolsky [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 12:19 PM To: Berger, Brigitte
I just got an e-mail from the Chamber of Commerce that mentioned that the city is considering using reverse-angle parking downtown. Personally, from my point of view as a driver, I could care less, I can park anyway anywhere. In fact I regularly use reverse angle parking on Wellington between Greenview and Southport in the city. It makes sense there as traffic can get backed up on Wellington, so if you are parked near the interesection of Lincoln, Wellington, and Southport, it can be very difficult to back out of a spot.
However, for my wife this is a very different situation. I don't think there is any way that she would be able to back in between two parked cars, and even if she chose to take up two spots (which she would have to do), I think she would either crash into the sidewalk or be sticking out into the street.
Now to be perfectly honest with you, if we are going to a restaurant downtown then I am going to drive, but if she needs to take the kids to the doctor while I'm at work, then she is going to have to drive, and needs to be able to park the car.
It would be one thing to consider doing this in the city where the majority of street parking is parallel parking (another difficult form of parking). But I would imagine that in Wilmette, we have plenty of residents (not just my wife) who have never had to parallel park in their life, and would find reverse angle parking to be just as difficult.
Given the fact that almost all new cars have backup cameras and sensors, backing out of the parking spots downtown the way that they are currently set up is fairly simple and pretty safe, it isn't like Wilmette Ave is as busy as Michigan Ave. Please keep the parking way it is, this isn't the city, and I'd hate to see our village start to resemble the city.
Dear Village,
As a business owner in downtown wilmette, for close to 12 years, I’ve been around long enough to see parking congestion, and hear of seniors driving thru windows of store fronts. For many, parallel parking is such a challenge, that people choose to either park farther away, or change the times that they are shopping to avoid congestion. I currently have a broken shoulder, so i have to choose to park in spots that i can just pull in to and can’t park by backing into anything. There are a lot of folks my age, who are not huge fans of backing into spaces, or parallel parking, so I’m not sure why this would ever be considered a viable option for the already congested downtown. I can’t imagine the honking going on as people would be trying to back into spaces. In addition, I would worry about people backing too far in, the exhaust going on to the diners all along the business district, the concern of backing into children, dogs, bikes, tables, etc. Why on earth would this be something that would be a positive. If anything, I think it would limit the shoppers to just those that are fantastic at backing into spaces, about l0% of the population I would guess, as I have five daughters that all drive, and they can’t do it either. I will be gathering signatures of Wilmette residents that also consider this a bad idea. Thank you for hearing me out.
Amy Lafontant ---
Amy Lafontant, Proprietor [email protected] The Bottle Shop 1148 Central Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091 847-256-7777 phone 847-256-7778 fax www.thebottleshop.net
From: Julie Yusim [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2017 10:03 AM To: ChamberMaster Recipient List
Here is an article from the Peoria Journal that well enforces the Chamber businesses’ concerns about reverse angle parking. (Peoria is the only city in Illinois that has implemented it in their downtown.) Feel free to share this information. http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150713/NEWS/150719746
Julie Yusim, Executive Director Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce 351 Linden Ave, Wilmette 60091 847-251-3800
Brigitte,
Thank you for taking the time to send such a detailed response. I would like to add a few things. It is really hard to believe that, regarding the Central and 11th intersection, that it is felt that there is not enough volume on 11th St. I come out of my alley onto 11th St. at least once a day, if not more, and turn north to go the half block to the stop sign at Central, to cross Central and get to Lake. On my way home, I drive southbound on 11th. About 90% of the time, over the 33.5 years that I have live here, it can get very congested on 11th.
Examples: On 11th between Central and Lake, cars park on the east side of the street. That allows for only one car to pass at a time going either north or south. It's a guessing game as to what will happen, as cars coming south have to make room by pulling over into the Optima insert space for cars coming north. Or, I have to wait to cross Central because there is a car coming south on 11th that is in the way. Or, we are vying for road space from cars turning from either eastbound or westbound Central. The traffic is also very busy on 11th twice a day from the pre-school carpool line. Their cars take up the south bound lane, necessitating more juggling of cars.
On 11th between Central and Greenleaf, there is parking allowed on the west side of the street for the bakery. Again, when there are parked cars, the roadway is only wide enough for one car, and northbound and southbound cars have to stop to let one or another pass first.This includes cars trying to turn from Central.
At least, if there were east and west stop signs at Central and 11th, it would simplify the cat and mouse games going on of who goes first. I suggest someone on your committee drive there to experience it for themselves. It's one of the worst intersections in Wilmette.
Another thing people do, which is insane, is use that intersection for 3 point U-turns. They can't find a space in downtown, so instead of going around the block, they pull halfway into 11th facing north, and back out onto Central to go west again. Try crossing when someone is doing that.
Pedestrian safety is usually fine since people do stop for pedestrians. I really have not seen instances of walkers not being able to cross. The only thing about walkers is the weird placement of the crosswalk across 11th on the south side of the street. It was moved many years ago to align with the sidewalk that juts out.
As far as site lines, it is extremely difficult for a driver facing north on 11th, at the stop sign on Central, to see cars coming through town from the west, because of the parked cars. And if the cars are going fast, that is where the most danger is. It can be very stressful. Again, a stop sign would alleviate this.
This brings up the topic of your traffic study that says speeds are not an issue. Your chart says the posted speed between 10th and 11th is 25 mph. However, eastbound cars are going 28 which is actually pretty amazing considering they are coming out of the downtown where they should have been slowing to carefully gauge pedestrians and cars backing out of spaces. Westbound cars going 34, should really be of some concern to you, as they are heading into downtown. I find this a little alarming for the pedestrians and parkers in the area. The 11th St. situation is so frustrating that I have finally started altering my route sometimes, and going out the alley on 10th, but I don't feel I should have to do that. (I used to use other traffic routes around to get around town, but there have been so many restrictions put on available turns, entries at times of day, etc. that traffic patterns are pretty screwy.)
As you can see, I am pretty passionate about this topic.
I still have some concerns about the bike lanes and it is a little difficult to picture the options without seeing some schematics. So I will come to the next meeting. If there are drawings on the village website, I will look at them there.
Thank you.
Loryn Kogan
1020 Greenleaf Ave.
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Good morning Loryn:
Thank you for the response. I will try to address the issues raised in your original email.
Options 1 and 3 are very different. In its existing condition (Option 1) Central would not be recognized as an official bike route because the lanes are too narrow. Currently, the travel lane widths (10-12-feet), according to federal regulations, are not wide enough to officially make Central a shared bike route. With Option 3, the travel lane widths increase to 14-16-feet, which is wide enough to accommodate shared bike lanes. In order to obtain the additional width, parking would have to be eliminated on one side of the street. Option 3 would have adequately sized lane widths that would allow Central to be signed and striped with shared bike/travel lanes.
At the last meeting, the Committee spent a lot of time talking about the intersection of 11th and Central. The intersection does not meet federal warrants for an all-way stop because there is not enough volume on 11th Street. We recognize that there is concern about pedestrian safety at this intersection, so we are considering implementing traffic calming measures, such as a raised intersection or raised crosswalks, to help make pedestrians more visible as they move through the intersection. We are also realigning the stop bars to improve sight distances for vehicles. Sight lines are currently partially obstructed by mature vegetation.
We also discussed speed at the April 6 meeting. During our study we performed speed and volume data collection and found the speeds to be in an acceptable range. As shown in the table, eastbound speeds average 28 mph, which is low. Where possible, however, the project will include other traffic calming measures aimed at encouraging slower driving. Specifically, we discussed curb extensions or “bump outs” which have been proven successful in other locations within the Village. [IMAGE REMOVED]
Finally, there will not be any stop signs added to the Central corridor as part of this project.
I hope this information is helpful.
Brigitte
Hi - I actually live on Greenleaf around the corner from town, so I travel on Central between Green Bay and 10th several times a day.
Loryn
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Good morning:
Thank you for the email. I am glad you will be able to attend our meeting on May 3.
I’m happy to provide a detailed response to your question about the difference between Options 1 and 3, but it would help if I knew what block you live on. The roadway geometry varies and becomes more narrow as you travel from west to east, so the cross sections that define the parking, bike and travel lanes also vary from block to block. Please let me know your address and I will tailor my response accordingly.
Kind regards,
Brigitte
Dear Ms. Berger-Raish,
I received the letter about the Central Ave. Project update. Thank you. I had never heard about Meeting 1, and was not able to attend Meeting 2. I look forward to attending Meeting 3 on May 3.
Just prior to the last meeting, I submitted my comments about the project by completing the online survey. I hope they were received.
I do not understand the difference between Options 1 and 3. The existing configuration is already shared lanes. If people are bike riding, they are sharing the right side of the road.
My main concern about Central is that cars travel faster than they should, especially coming east from the retail area and picking up speed as they cross 11th. On the other hand, there are also drivers who think there is an actual stop sign at 11th and Central because of the pedestrian mini- stop signs, and these individuals stop unnecessarily and hold up traffic.
I propose to put actual stop signs at 11th and Central going east and west. Please do not add any stop signs, however, between 11th and 4th.
Loryn Kogan [email protected] | 847-370-5679 - mobile
Thank you Julie. I will share your note with the Trustees. Just to clarify, the proposal is to keep parking on the south side of Central between 11th and 8th and then switch to parking on the north side between 8th and 4th.
-----Original Message----- From: Julie [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2017 6:34 PM To: Berger, Brigitte
Bridgette - I heard through another Central Ave resident that the village was now considering eliminating parking from the south side of the street. I wanted to document that I am opposed to this proposal. This is going to cause a huge traffic problem during school pick up and drop off. In addition, it will lead to more parking on side roads which are already narrow and cannot handle increased congestion.
On a personal level, we use parking in front of our house all the time - for our nanny, getting our three small children to and from, our 73 year old parents park in front of our house 1-2 times a week (one has a disability), lawn services, cleaning, out of town guests, etc.
If the city considered putting the bike lane on Greenleaf or if they considered moving the bus route from Central so there was safe biking space - no residents would have to lose their parking. Please don't cram everything on Central. Please consider alternatives.
Thank you,
Julie Adrianopoli 711 Central Ave
Dear Brigitte,
My name is Mark Teasdale, and my family and I live at 1004 Central Avenue.
We will not be able to attend the May 3 reconstruction meeting, but I wanted to place my vote in favor of option 1 (no bike lines). I have three reasons for this:
1) As a homeowner with no access to an alley, having parking on both sides of the street becomes very helpful for our family, as well as for having friends to visit.
2) As a homeowner between the school and the Village Center, with larger gathering places including the synagogue and the Masonic Lodge nearby, I have seen that having parking on only one side of the street would be untenable. This is because large crowds from these organizations frequently use street parking along Central. The school uses both sides of the street for staff parking. When special events at the school take place, both sides of the street for the next block are also filled. The same is true for when there is a large event in the Village Center, synagogue, or Masonic Lodge and people park along Central Avenue. The same is also true when people park farther down Central for access to the beach. By restricting parking to only one side of the street, we would not only force overflow cars into the smaller side streets, we would virtually cut off homeowners along Central from having street parking by their houses.
I would be more in favor of thinking through creating clearer zones for pick up and drop off along Central by the school that might also be used for the synagogue and Masonic Lodge when school is not in session.
Thank you, Mark Teasdale
Dear Brigitte, I so much appreciate your response! My concern about safety and people still crossing the street remains, no matter which side of the street. I know my neighbors across the street have small kids and often park in front to unload the car, etc. I really think that a busy street needs to have two sided parking. A quieter street (like some residential streets in evanston that I've seen) might be ok, because if the person parks across the street they are not likely to get hit by a car/bus/bike since it is not a commonly commuted street. But Central is much too busy to make it one-sided parking. Thanks so much for letting me know. I received a notice that the meeting is May 3rd at 5pm - I'm a physician and I'm scheduled to see patients during that time - so if I can move their appointments I will be there. Thank you for considering my view point. I really appreciate it! Liana
On Mon, Apr 17, 2017 at 11:05 AM, Berger, Brigitte
Thank you for the note. I will share it with the Trustees. Please note that we will also be considering making the south side no parking as there are more driveways on the south side. The north side has more legal parking spaces available. Would you be amenable to creating shared bike / travel lanes with parking on the north side only?
Brigitte ______
Dear Ms. Berger,
I am a resident of Wilmette and have become aware of a proposal to remove the north side parking on Central to make more room for vehicles and a bike lane. I am against this change on Central as I feel that it will make Central more unsafe.
The Northside parking is essential for the residents and their guests to provide safe parking that provide easy accessibility to their homes. The residents use the parking for unloading, bringing children home, having guests. If the parking is not available, people will need to park on the south side and you will have people crossing the busy street with groceries, packages, children, elderly, etc. I myself have a 2, 4, and 6 year old, my 75 year old mother and my 98 year old grandmother who need close and safe access to my home. I have seen one sided parking on streets that are less busy and that may make sense, but taking away two sides parking on Central is not safe - it is too busy. The buses and cars always speed down Central already. As a bicyclist I would not prefer to ride down Central due to it being busy, but would consider Greenleaf or ride on the sidewalk. Although I think having a bike lane is important, the safety of the residents needs to come first. Please relay this message that I am against removing parking from the northside of Central. Please feel free to contact my cell. 312-310-5921.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely, Liana Billings 618 Central Avenue
Hello Everyone, Here are some pictures from Saturday with in an hour time span of how challenging pull in parking is. It makes no sense to me to make it more difficult & confusing considering the demographics of Wilmette. It is much easier to navigate backing up into the street when leaving a spot then it is to reverse into a tight spot. I stronger suggest that you all hang out by my shop and see what goes on in the course of a day in terms of parking. In addition, to see & hear (horns a blowing) the confusion about the intersect at 11th and central. From a concerned merchant who feels keeping parking simple & convenient is the way to go. Sincerely, Julie Cohen Hubba-Hubba
Dear Ms. Berger,
I am a resident of Wilmette and have become aware of a proposal to remove the north side parking on Central to make more room for vehicles and a bike lane. I am against this change on Central as I feel that it will make Central more unsafe.
The Northside parking is essential for the residents and their guests to provide safe parking that provide easy accessibility to their homes. The residents use the parking for unloading, bringing children home, having guests. If the parking is not available, people will need to park on the south side and you will have people crossing the busy street with groceries, packages, children, elderly, etc. I myself have a 2, 4, and 6 year old, my 75 year old mother and my 98 year old grandmother who need close and safe access to my home. I have seen one sided parking on streets that are less busy and that may make sense, but taking away two sides parking on Central is not safe - it is too busy. The buses and cars always speed down Central already. As a bicyclist I would not prefer to ride down Central due to it being busy, but would consider Greenleaf or ride on the sidewalk. Although I think having a bike lane is important, the safety of the residents needs to come first. Please relay this message that I am against removing parking from the northside of Central. Please feel free to contact my cell. 312-310-5921.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely, Liana Billings 618 Central Avenue
PUBLIC MEETING #3 – MAY 3, 2017