Get Stop Signs For Elmhurst Intersection: Officials

ELMHURST, IL – The crash history at a north Elmhurst intersection calls for replacing yield signs with stop signs, city officials say.

In the last five years, the city identified four correctible crashes at Van Auken Street and Armitage Avenue – three of them in the last 10 months.

Under a national standard, stop signs are warranted for an intersection with at least three correctible crashes in two years.

"Van Auken is a busy street. There are kids who use it to get to school," Assistant City Manager Kent Johnson told the public safety committee Monday.

On April 4, the driver of a flatbed semi-truck on Armitage Avenue ran a yield sign and struck a minivan, the city said.

After that, Ward 3 aldermen Michael Bram and Chris Jensen asked the city to consider stop signs at the intersection. Now, yield signs are on Armitage. The aldermen said they heard from neighbors of the intersection.

Officials said they hope to wait for neighborhood-by-neighborhood traffic studies before adding stop signs. But they said they are willing to make exceptions when crash histories justify doing so.

Alderman Guido Nardini said he could "absolutely look a taxpayer in the face" and make the case for going forward with stop signs now at Van Auken and Armitage.

Aldermen Mike Brennan and Jacob Hill agreed.

"From my perspective, it's easy to justify it," Brennan said. "I would like to see us move forward to swap out the yields for the stop."

The committee is expected to vote on the stop signs next month. Then the issue would go before the whole City Council.