Jefferson Park residents confused over CDOT's installation of bump-outs as solution to speeding
Residents were left confused about the recent construction of bump-outs, they said is shrinking a busy roadway in Jefferson Park.
They're being installed up and down busy Avondale Avenue, right off the expressway. Residents of the area believe there are more effective ways to address speeding and improve safety.
"I guess they are supposed to slow down the traffic," said resident Tom Nowak.
Nowak has lived here for more than 20 years. He knows the neighborhood and is used to people racing all down Avondale.
"They like to race from the stop sign all the way there," he said.
The latest construction, according to residents, isn't the solution people living here were hoping for.
"It feels like more of a hazard to drivers," Dustin Smith said.
"With the snow plows and even people driving, they might not see it," Nowak said.
CBS News Chicago contacted the city with those concerns. A spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation said, "CDOT is installing a chicane on Avondale Avenue between Austin Avenue and Nagle Street, as part of the City's efforts to enhance safety for all road users."
A chicane is a series of alternating curb extensions and islands that narrow the roadway and require vehicles to follow the S-shaped curving to discourage speeding.
"Chicanes? Interesting!" Smith said.
The project was coordinated with the 45th Ward, following community concerns about pedestrians crossing to reach the nearby bridge over I-90. CDOT found that drivers were frequently exceeding the posted speed limit, and the chicane design was recommended to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for pedestrians at this location.
The spokesperson said as with all CDOT designs, the installation was developed to accommodate larger vehicles and snow and ice removal operations. An object marker sign will also be installed on the new infrastructure to enhance visibility for drivers.
Transportation expert and DePaul University professor Joe Schwieterman elaborated on their purpose.
"The city is really pushing these sidewalk bump-outs, these kinds of ways to calm traffic into the neighborhoods. It's where we are seeing so many fatalities and accidents."
CDOT would not clarify why they chose to install chicanes over speed bumps. Schwieterman said it's likely because it's a highly trafficked area, and that many bumps could cause other issues.
"I think for the city the challenge is to do things at low cost that add to safety, and these kinds of bump-outs can be done without reengineering the street."
"Do I know what a good solution is? No. Do I think that's going to be a good thing overall? I don't think so," Smith said.
CDOT regularly installs traffic calming features like these across the city in partnership with aldermen and community stakeholders to address traffic safety concerns. These efforts are making a difference, as traffic fatalities in Chicago have fallen by about 30% since their 2021 peak, outpacing national trends.