Residents Dissatisfied With Traffic Conditions, Community Survey Shows

WHEATON, IL — Wheaton residents expressed overall dissatisfaction with traffic conditions in the city, a recent Community Satisfaction Survey showed.

Traffic signal timing and coordination on major streets received an overall satisfaction ranking of 62.4 percent. Residents ranked their satisfactions with traffic conditions in neighborhoods relative to speed and volume at 58.8 percent. This reflects an eight percent drop in resident satisfaction compared to 2014.

Flow of traffic and congestion management reflected 54.3 percent satisfaction. By comparison, the same metric had a 60.8 percent satisfaction level in 2014.

Despite the dissatisfaction in traffic reflected in the survey, residents expressed an increase in their satisfaction with how traffic laws are enforced 73.3 vs 69.5 percent

The 2025 survey showed that residents were also more satisfied with the city's traffic signal maintenance. In 2025, this metric had a 91 percent satisfaction level, whereas the same metric had an 88.1 percent satisfaction level in 2014.

Residents also offered comments in their survey responses sharing where they'd like to see traffic conditions improved.

One resident expressed that they would like to see "better traffic flow" on Main Street to the north and south of the railroad crossing.

"Timing of lights is really frustrating," they wrote.

Another resident called the traffic lights across the railroad tracks "horrific."

One survey response said the city had a "ridiculous amount of traffic lights."

Similary, one resident wrote, "Downtown traffic is frequently gridlocked. Too many stop lights. Go visit Glen Ellyn to see how they keep traffic moving."

Another resident urged that "better traffic mitigation" is needed in North Wheaton, "especially in crash-prone areas."

One resident expressed that "planning, construction and repair of roads" should not occur simultaneously. They cited Butterfield and Roosevelt Roads and Gary Avenue, calling the traffic "awful" and urging the city to "plan better."

Several survey responders suggested doing away with the Hale Street tents and limiting event-related road closures.

"Closing off streets for Cream of Wheaton and other events centered in Memorial Park creates a

traffic fiasco every time it happens," a resident shared. "Saturdays are the worst. Can you locate these events in another part of town that is not so congested?"

Residents also brought up issues with traffic near schools, near Danada Square and during concerts.