The Traffic Guy hears...

.that squirrels are still enjoying pumpkins from the fall holidays. Here are a few other remnants of fall:

.that the "Army Times" reported last week that in Iraq alone, the Defense Logistics Agency served our service men and women 186,000 pounds of turkey, 108,000 pounds of ham, 82,000 pounds of stuffing, 2,915 cases of corn on the cob, 11,664 cans each of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, 2,916 cans of cranberry sauce and 21,204 pies for Thanksgiving. Speaking of Thanksgiving, TG heard that the president pardoned two turkeys last week. Were they Scooter and Tom?This turkey made it through Thanksgiving without an official pardon.

.that the official Evanston tree lighting came before Thanksgiving, but this weekend there will be a tree-lighting on Central Street and, get this, horse-drawn carriage rides around the Dempster/Chicago area.  Downtown, the Sherman Plaza developers are substituting a trolley for the parking garage they promised by Christmas – a good idea and another way reason to shop Evanston instead of the malls.

.that serious street work continues on south Asbury above and around the CTA bridge and on Fowler and Lake in the King Lab area. TG knows the road work can be tough on residents, with noise, dust and other aggravations, but it's nice to have Pitner and Fowler as two-way streets south of Church for a while. 

…that today is the last day of regular street cleaning until next spring. Don't forget that snow parking regulations kick in tomorrow. And remember, follow these regulations they way you follow the street-sweeping ones: Go by what's posted on the sign, not by the condition of the street. If the street looks plowed but you're not supposed to park there all day, don't park there unless you're willing to bet the price of a ticket that you won't get caught. Also, don’t park on snow routes (signs are posted) after a two-inch snowfall. Although the City used to sound a siren for snow emergencies, that’s not done any more. Look out the window, check cable TV channel 16 or call the City’s radio station: 847-86-4-SNOW. You can also get recorded messages by calling 847-328-0222 or 847-866-2917.

.that the first snowfall of the season last week brightened the landscape and a few visages. This little guy lasted a few hours.
the sun was hot...

…that the City is establishing a minimum width for streets: 26 feet for streets with parking on both sides and 18 feet for streets with parking on one side. To that end, the City is adding new parking restrictions on portions of Hartzell, Grant, Colfax, Bryant, Garrison and (perhaps soon) Leonard Place.

…that Dec. 11 (a Sunday) is the last day to drop yard waste off at the Recycling Center, 2222 Oakton.

.that the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation will hold a "brown bag" lunchtime roundtable discussion on bicycle commuting noon to 1 p.m., Dec. 9, at Bank of America, 231 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago. Speaking of commuting by bike, TG hears that Metra has extended its take-your-bike-to-work hours, allowing bicycles on commuter trains, through January.

…that the City would like for folks who live near a fire hydrant to adopt it for the winter – keep it free of snow and make sure it’s accessible by the firefighters.

The Traffic Guy Thinks...

…get those vehicle stickers early. Remember, they go on easily, but you might as well put them on the windshield while it’s mild outside.

.sorry to report that TG has not yet received responses from requests for information from the City and from Metra. TG will keep y’all posted.

.the holiday shopping frenzy has begun. Get out there and be a consumer - even our president says that buying stuff is patriotic.

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