Irving Park residents are sounding off after they say multiple pedestrians have been hit at a busy intersection in recent weeks. JC Navarrete has the story.
Irving Park residents are sounding off after they say multiple pedestrians have been hit at a busy intersection in recent weeks.
Between speeding cars, a busy bus stop, and a multitude of pedestrians and cyclists, neighbors say that the neighborhood has grown and infrastructure has lagged behind, which is why they’re pushing for change before tragedy strikes.
“What has to happen? Does someone have to die for change to happen?,” one resident said. “or can we just change something and prevent anything from happening.”
The intersection in question is Belmont and Karlov in the Irving Park neighborhood.
“You see a lot of people walking the crosswalk and it’s scary because they do struggle to cross this intersection,” coffee shop owner Arlene Luna said.
Wes Kahn also has a business on the corner. He shared footage with NBC Chicago showing a car weaving through the intersection to avoid traffic, which resulted in a crash.
“Every time there is a car accident, we hear it in the office,” he said. “We come out here, and we’ve seen a few over the years.”
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Residents say they’ve had enough of the way drivers speed through the intersection, and are seeking out a solution to the problem, where it’s a four-way stop or other measures.
Chicago Department of Transportation spokesperson Erica Schroeder has expressed caution about a four-way stop, telling Block Club Chicago federal guidelines “don’t recommend creating a four-way stop at intersections where traffic volume varies greatly.”
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She also cited concerns that adding a stop on Belmont could result in traffic backups to the intersection with Pulaski.
Ald. Felix Cardona, whose 31st Ward has a boundary at the intersection, also told Block Club he’s requested a new study after the pedestrian collisions.
