Commissioner Daley Pays Surprise Visit to Village Board
Cook County still considers traffic signalization project at Southwest Highway and Central Avenue a priority, Commissioner John Daley says.
Videos
Cook County Commission John Daley (11th District) made a surprise visit at Tuesday’s village board meeting to clarify remarks made by an Oak Lawn trustee that the county no longer considered the traffic signalization project at Central Avenue and Southwest Highway “a priority.”
Sign up for Oak Lawn Patch breaking news alerts.
Daley said he had received several calls after the Jan. 22 village board meeting that the county was no longer committed to installing a left turn lane at Central Avenue and Southwest Highway.
The village has about $7 million left in Build America bonds, part of which was to be used for building a left turn lane northbound on Central Avenue turning west on to Southwest Highway. Oak Lawn trustees previously passed a resolution approving to split the $1.2 million cost for fixing the corner with the county.
“Contrary to what was said we’re very committed to the project,” Daley told the village board. “You passed a resolution for a 50/50 match so we’re willing to go forward. We’re waiting to hear back from village.”
At the Jan. 22 meeting, Trustee Bob Streit (Dist. 3) and chair of the public works committee said he had asked county engineers to produce prior studies and requested a cost breakdown of what was spent to date from village staff.
“As everyone knows the Build America bonds are essentially depleted,” Streit said. “At this point what we need to do is be fair to everyone and start evaluating projects based on need as opposed to want. I think we need to reconsider everything.”
The village board voted 3-2 to postpone proceeding with the project until after it had discussed infrastructure projects for 2013.
WHAT TO READ NEXT:
Pat F
11:17 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Hmmmmmm..waiting for the village! I think we've heard this before..You're all supposed to work together to prevent these situations! When each of you has your own agenda it never works..
Richard Ryzner
1:02 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
What about flashing "School Zone" signs along Central as well. The crossing guard and children have almost been hit multiple times by people not following the school zone speed limit while trying to make the lights at SW Highway and at 95th. How hard is it to slow down for a block and a half?
Kelly
11:08 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Glad to see that Mr. Daley called Mr. Streits' hand on this one....How bad can it be when the County has to come and straighten out the rhetoric that comes out of our Village Board....sad day, Oak Lawn....sad day....
Mel
11:30 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I don't think Streit is the one who said the project was not on the Count's priority list. Streit requested information that has not been received. Regarding the project, why not spend these funds somewhere in the village that requires more attention. I vote for no left turn off Central onto SW Highway and the school zone signals. This would alleviate the congestion created by left turns as well as slow down all those drivers who speed through this area.
Blackjack
11:30 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
The manager says we have $7 million left out of $30M, the Build America bonds are "essentially depleted", and now they start to talk about evaluating projects based on need?
If these guys (and girls) don't do that project at SW Hwy. and Central in time to get half of the $1.2M cost from Cook County, apparently ready to move ahead (Thank you, Commissioner Daley), we don't get the intersection re-done, AND we lose the shot at $600,000 of matching funds and getting the project done for half of its actual cost - money well spent. If that chance gets blown, there should be a recall election for the entire board.
And voting to give each trustee control over spending $750,000? Seriously? Phelan was absolutely right when he said that's "a recipe for disaster."
One idea everybody could support is to take the $600K for the intersection safety project from that million they want to waste on buying the Mason's property and expanding the village green. Feel free to table that idea indefinitely.
High Hopes for OL
5:24 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I go by there everyday and its an accident ready to happen. With the School right there and kids it is a no brainer.