More Dangerous Than Helpful? Elmhurst Debates Yield, Stop Signs

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst aldermen disagreed Monday over whether the city should replace yield signs with stops as a general practice.

At a meeting, the City Council discussed a study for a north-central Elmhurst neighborhood.

The area, which includes a quarry, is bound by North Avenue to the north, Route 83 to the west, First Street to the south and York Street to the east.

The study calls for replacing the yield signs on Oak Street at Third Street.

Alderman Michael Bram took issue with a city policy that he said requires yield signs around town to be replaced.

In early March 2023, the council enacted a policy that states that "in general, 'yield' signs will not be used as traffic control devices at residential intersections and should be replaced with 'stop' signs."

Such a policy, Bram said, would conflict with national standards that require a certain number of crashes before stop signs are put up. He said aldermen have been told that liability exists when the city installs any traffic control device when it is not considered warranted.

However, Alderwoman Marti Deuter emphasized the yield sign policy applied generally, not in every situation.

"It's meant to be reviewed in the context of each neighborhood," she said.

Bram said the city should think hard before installing stop or yield signs. He brought up a situation in his neighborhood.

While cutting his grass recently, Bram said he saw a woman blow through the four-way stop at Van Auken Street and Belden Avenue.

"I actually stopped this person, which I wouldn't recommend doing," Bram said. "By speaking with her – it turned out to be my neighbor down the block – she told me that she grew up here and she knows this neighborhood and there was no concern of her just driving through this intersection."

He said the woman told him the stop sign wasn't needed.

By putting up more signs, he said, "I'm concerned that we may be going down a path that is more dangerous than helpful."

Alderman Mike Brennan said drivers are likelier to run yield signs than stops. With stop signs, he said, there is no room for interpretation.

Mayor Scott Levin agreed, saying it was harder for police to issue citations for yield sign violations.

The City Council unanimously approved the yield signs and other recommended improvements for the north-central neighborhood. Alderwomen Tina Park and Noel Talluto were absent.

This is the second neighborhood study that the council has approved, the first being the College View neighborhood near York High School.

The city says it's better to look at overall neighborhoods for traffic issues. Traditionally, Elmhurst has approved changes on an intersection-by-intersection basis. But that often just pushes problems to nearby streets, officials say.

West Avenue is part of the latest neighborhood, but the city said it would conduct a separate study of that street later this year. That is because of the complexity of the volume of cars and the elevation change of the roadway, the city said.