River Forest's Traffic and Safety Commission will take up two stalled crossing guard requests on Wednesday, Nov. 18, with new crash and speed data that flag Central Avenue near Franklin as the village's most concerning speedway for pedestrians.
A staff memorandum prepared by Jack Bielak, director of public works, for the Nov. 18 meeting transmits a 10-year police crash analysis and recent traffic counts collected at five locations near the intersections in question, according to the village's agenda packet.
The speed data stands out. Traffic counters placed on Central Avenue near Franklin between Oct. 28 and Nov. 3 recorded an 85th percentile speed of 33 mph in both directions on a street with a 25 mph limit. The average speed was 25.47 mph. One vehicle was clocked at 65 mph. Between 36% and 47% of weekday drivers exceeded the speed limit, the memo states.
By comparison, Franklin Avenue between Oak and Lake showed the mildest profile: an 85th percentile speed right at the 25 mph limit and an average of about 21 mph.
What happened in September
The requests trace to the commission's Sept. 16 meeting. Greg Embree presented a petition signed by parents asking for a morning crossing guard at Central and Franklin from 7:50 to 8:20 a.m. Commissioner Osga noted that cars parked near the northeast corner made it hard to see around the stop sign.
The commission unanimously approved new caution signage on the eastbound approach at Central and Franklin and the westbound approach at Hawthorne and Franklin, along with "No Parking Here to Corner" signs. Bielak said staff could install those without village board action.
But a separate motion to add a crossing guard at Central and Franklin in the morning and Central and Hawthorne in the afternoon failed on a 2-4 vote. Commissioners Gillis and Karrow voted yes. Chairman Doug Rees, along with Commissioners Chase, Jayaraman and Osga, voted no.
Rees said the commission would collect more data before its next meeting. The commission requested traffic counters, accident history and ticket history for the intersection.
Jayne Gould, the crossing guard at Lathrop and Chicago avenues, also asked for a second guard at her intersection. Gould told commissioners she cannot always be positioned where every child is crossing at the signalized intersection, and that drivers sometimes turn through while children have the right of way. When Rees called for a motion to add a second guard, no commissioner made one.
Rees said staff would research accident history at that intersection and whether other communities assign multiple guards at signalized intersections.
What the crash data shows
Police Chief James Greenwood's Sept. 22 memorandum covers crashes from September 2016 through September 2026 at three intersections. Central and Franklin recorded five crashes over the decade, three involving a bicyclist or pedestrian. In each of those, drivers reported not seeing the person until impact. A January 2024 crash sent a pedestrian to the hospital after a northbound driver went through the stop sign and struck the person in the crosswalk.
Chicago and Lathrop logged 27 total crashes, 18 of them after 2019 traffic-control improvements. Those 18 were minor, with no major injuries reported. Two occurred during crossing guard hours.
The police department recommended continued monitoring, enhanced driver-awareness efforts at stop-controlled locations, a field review of signage and sight lines, and expanded pedestrian and bicyclist safety outreach.
Cost and next steps
The village deploys 13 crossing guards through a third-party contract, reimbursed by School District 90 under an intergovernmental agreement. Each location costs about $12,260 per year. The total program cost for May 2025 through April 2026 was $159,387.93, split between the district and the village.
A Safe Routes to School update is scheduled in the village's capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2030. Staff is pursuing grant funding to complete it sooner.
If the commission votes to recommend adding, removing or changing crossing guard locations on Nov. 18, the recommendation would go to the village board for consideration. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at village hall, with a 50-person capacity limit for in-person attendance. Residents can also listen via Zoom or submit written comments by email to Bielak.
