In Wake of Accidents, Lane Tech to Receive Concrete Pedestrian Crossing

Lane Tech parents and teachers are hoping a new concrete island at Cornelia and Western avenues will make the intersection a little safer for students. 

In October, an SUV hit two 15-year-old girls outside the high school, with one taken to the hospital in critical condition. The incident happened on the 3500 block of Western Avenue, where the oasis is set to be built.

Jim Poole, the community specialist for Ward 47, said construction on the island will start this summer and hopefully be ready for the 2013-2014 school year. The island will be an addition to the current striped crosswalk and signage.

Poole said parents and Principal Christopher Dignam approached the ward office with ideas on how to make the crossing safer. After consulting with the Chicago Department of Transportation, the pedestrian island was the best fit for the intersection.

“It’s going to provide a way for the kids to cross halfway in the median and will be the first strike in making that intersection a little safer,” Poole said.

The money for the island comes from Ward 47 Ald. Ameya Pawar. Each year, wards in Chicago are awarded “menu funds” for infrastructure improvements. The ward receives $1.3 million and at most, $22,000 of that will be used for the pedestrian island, Poole said.

The safety concerns sparked Lane Tech administrators to put up an alert on the school’s website.

“Students are allowed to cross the street only at the stop light or designated pedestrian crosswalks at deemed times. Unfortunately, we have already had situations where drivers did not notice our students who were standing in the median or in areas not designated as appropriate crossing locations,” the notice read in part.

Another pedestrian island—at Lincoln and Leland Avenues—will be installed with the ward menu funds. Residents can vote on how to use the money here. 

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