05/20/2010
Hi Folks
Thank you for taking the time to review and comment on the information presented here.
We’d like to pose a question back to the commenters who are opposed to parking on Ridge.
One of the key findings is that the parking could be restored at certain times without displacing traffic. That is, that when the number of cars travelling down Ridge drops, such as in the overnight hours, adding parking would not affect their traveling safely down the street at the speed limit and won’t displace traffic to side streets.
However, many of you objected to the findings based on the idea that cars would be displaced to side streets.
So we’d like to ask: Did these facts come across well in the way we provided the information? If they did come across, and your concerns remain, could you speak to why you think the conclusions are wrong?
Thanks
Doug Fraser, Chief of Staff
Alderman Mary Ann Smith, 48th
Separate from the parking issue, are there plans to more immediately address the crosswalks? It would be great to move forward on that, as it seems as though there is much agreement on that.
Reasons #1 and #2 are EXACTLY why I could only support parking on Ridge south of Hollywood, and would oppose it at all times(even during overnight hours) inbetween Hollywood and Clark. Also, short of (theoretical) consistent towing of all cars parked on Ridge by say 5-6am, even one missed parked car that isn’t towed would be a safety disaster waiting to happen. I’m sorry, but I cannot trust the city will tow 100% of all cars, before regular high morning traffic levels are reached each day.
Driving concerns must be considered as equally as pedestrian concerns, before any changes to Ridge are done. I almost sometimes wonder if too much weight is being pushed towards ideas that would not work to improve the Ridge Ave. traffic situation, such as evening and overnight parking on Ridge inbetween Hollywood and Clark.
My concerns still remain for the following reasons:
1. The Capacity Study is almost four years old, prior to the Fire Station being located at Clark/Peterson. Fires do not schedule themselves to be convenient. If another fire happens on Sheridan, Broadway or at the lake and there are cars on both sides of the street, exactly how is a fire truck getting down Ridge?
2. No one has addressed the fact that you can currently make left turns from Ridge in both the north and southbound directions. What happens when this is down to one lane? This will lietrally be an accident waiting to happen!
3. As we have seen from correspondence, Aldermen O’Connor and Moore were not consulted, yet their wards are just as significantly impacted.
Ridge is a connector to Lake Shore Drive. Nothing is going to change that. It would be helpful to have a real community process, including neighborhood meetings with all of the Aldermen and neighbors affected. Lets try to stop putting the cart before the horse.
Kim