Elmhurst Neighbors Oppose Speed Limit Hike

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst residents south of St. Charles Road oppose increasing the speed limit to 25 mph, from 20 mph.

The 20 mph speed limit applies to five streets running south from St. Charles Road – Washington Street and Argyle, Mitchell, Prospect and Cottage Hill avenues.

Recently, a City Council committee approved a traffic study for the neighborhood in question. It includes a recommendation to hike the speed limit, making it consistent with other residential areas.

During public comments at Monday's council meeting, Jenny Chen, who lives in the 400 block of Argyle, estimated about 40 children live on her block.

"Are you really considering the safety of this neighborhood and children in this neighborhood?" Chen said. "Most of the parents of younger children on our street are very concerned about speeding cars. Many use Argyle Avenue to avoid traffic, stop signs and lights on Spring Road," which is one block over.

Barb Gallagher, who has lived in the 300 block of Mitchell Avenue for a half century, said her street is a long block that drivers coming from St. Charles Road use to "fly."

"We have lived with 20 (mph) at least the last 50 years," Gallagher said.

Karen Flanagan, who lives in the 400 block of Argyle, said a speed limit increase would encourage those going 30 mph or 35 mph to bump up their speeds.

"None of these streets are being monitored and nothing is being enforced," Flanagan said. A speed limit increase "is almost giving people a free ride."

She asked why the speed limit increase was being considered now.

"Who commissioned the study? What are we trying to achieve here?" she said.

Employing a consultant, the city is conducting neighborhood-by-neighborhood traffic studies. Usually, Elmhurst considers requests such as stop signs on an intersection-by-section basis. But that often just pushes problems to nearby streets, officials say.

The city is on its third neighborhood study. The area in question is bound by St. Charles Road to the north, Spring Road to the west, Madison Street to the south and York Street to the east.

At Monday's meeting, Alderman Mike Brennan noted the feedback to the study and suggested the matter go back to a committee for further review.

"There's no intense pressure to push this through," he said.

Other aldermen agreed. The issue is set to return to the council's public safety committee, which Brennan heads.