NORTHFIELD – After more than two years of construction, all lanes of traffic along Willow Road reopened August 22, with the majority of the project completed from Waukegan Road to the Edens Expressway. Along with wider roads, the area is seeing an increase in speeding violations, police said.
The controversial project – which brings a 1.2-mile corridor in Northfield from two lanes to four – represents years of debate weighing the needs of drivers and nearby towns with safety concerns in tiny Northfield.
Officials and community advocate groups in Northfield consistently opposed a wider Willow Road for fear it would jeopardize the safety of pedestrians, especially children, at nearby schools, parks, churches and residential areas.
The intergovernmental, $27 million project involving IDOT and the Villages of Northfield, Glenview, Winnetka and Northbrook, is aimed at improving traffic flow during key spikes like rush hour and weekends. The project also included nearly $5 million in funds allocated specifically to ease flooding in Northfield and complete additional infrastructure improvements.
Speed issues
Since the reopening of all lanes on the east-west artery, police have seen an uptick in speeding, with Northfield PD issuing upwards of 150 tickets so far. Officers will continue to enforce the road’s new, 30 mph speed limit – down from 35 mph – said Police Chief William Lustig.
“Willow Road is Northfield’s main street,” reminded Lustig. “We understand the importance of Willow Road for motorists driving to and from Edens Expressway. But we likewise ask motorists to understand that this is a community of families, whose safety is our highest priority.”
Part of a larger series of safety measures to minimize reckless driving, the decreased speed limit along Northfield’s stretch of Willow Road transitions to 40 mph west of Sunset Ridge and then to 35 mph east of the Edens Expressway.
Other safety elements include narrower, 10-foot-wide lanes (from 12 feet), a curbed median, dedicated left-turn lanes and landscaping features alongside the street, all of which will provide a “traffic calming effect,” state officials said.
Speed monitors have been placed in both directions on Willow Road, Lustig explained, though currently, violators are commonly driving 15 miles or more over the speed limit.
Once the project’s final elements are complete, officials anticipate speeding will subside.
Until then, the Village will maintain a proactive approach including:
- Back-to-school banners and posters displayed to remind drivers that school is open and to drive safely.
- An illuminated monitor placed on Willow Road facing both directions to remind motorists of their speed.
- Highly visible police patrols along the route will continue to enforce the road’s new, 30 mph speed limit.
“The road was built to be safer.” Lustig said. “And we want to keep it safe.”
Guy Tridgell, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Transportation, said drivers can expect occasional lane closures over the next several weeks as final items like striping, landscaping, lighting and traffic signals are checked off IDOT’s list.
“We are excited that the project is nearing completion,” Tridgell said. “The end result will be a much safer roadway that reduces congestion, improves traffic flow and encourages economic growth throughout the region.”