FUNDING SAFETY

July 5, 1989

Chicago Tribune

SHILLER MOVES FUNDS TO SAFETY PROJECT FOR LAKE SHORE DRIVE

Karen Dillon.

Ald. Helen Shiller (46th), concerned with the number of traffic accidents on Lake Shore Drive, has put up $25,000 from a special capital improvementfund to install guard rails, curve warning signs and splash guards on thedrive from Waveland Avenue to Grace Street.

Shiller was turned down on a budget proposal last December to install the preventive measures, so she decided to use the special funds to make therepairs in the 3700 block of North Lake Shore Drive.

In 1987, a general obligation bond program allotted each ward $400,000,to be used at the discretion of the alderman, to repair streets, curbs andsidewalks and special problems that might pop up, such as the need for guardrails.

Dave Ochal, Shiller`s chief of staff, said the alderman`s office was getting at least 10 calls daily from people complaining about the stretch of Lake Shore.

``They were afraid to walk their dogs or wait at the bus stop because traffic could fly over at any moment,`` he said. ``There shouldn`t be any curves on Lake Shore Drive without guard rails.``

The road curves where the guard rails will be placed, and although it isn`t the most frequent accident spot on Lake Shore Drive, ``it`s certainly a place we`re concerned about,`` said Chester Kropidlowski, a city traffic engineer.

``It`s a place where potentially serious accidents take place because cars are running off the road, hitting a fixed object,`` Kropidlowski said. ``It won`t reduce the accidents, but instead of running off hitting a parked car or a light pole, (the cars) will be stopped by a guard rail.``

More than 670 feet of guard rail at a cost of about $15,000 will be installed between Lake Shore Drive`s southbound lane and the inside of the road in the next 30 days.

About $10,000 will be used to install splash guards, 3 feet high by 25 feet long, at Waveland Avenue, Addison Street and Sheridan Road. Splash guards prevent people waiting for buses from being sprayed by passing cars when pavement is wet.

Fifteen curve warning signs will be placed to make northbound motorists aware of the danger of the curve. Another 15 of the yellow signs, which shine brightly when headlights hit them, were planted two months ago for southbound motorists along with several radar patrol signs to warn speeders.

Ochal said Shiller is using $250,000 of the special capital improvement funds for repair work at Irving Park and Sheridan roads.

Copyright 1989 Chicago Tribune Company