The Traffic Guy hears...

…that work has begun on the reconfiguration of the Prairie-Grant-McCormick intersection. Remember, they're going to bring Grant out to McCormick, which, they say, should make that area safer for kids going to Haven and Kingsley.

…that the former movie theaters on Central Street may soon become condos – 4 stories or so with, as now proposed, not enough parking to satisfy the zoning ordinance. The one-story buildings across the street may also be turned into condos, perhaps perfecting the canyon effect that is engulfing the City.

…that a few alleys are up for repaving: north of the CTA right-of-way, east of Wesley and south of Mulford; north of Foster and east of Sherman; and north of Cleveland and east of Pitner. Speaking of alleys, TG hears that the self-appointed Ken Starrs of the First Ward want their alderman, Cheryl Wollin, brought up on ethics charges for voting as a resident on whether to pave the alley behind her condo.

…that work began this week on the installation of an 8-inch diameter water main on Payne between Crawford and Prospect. The work is expected to take about 6 weeks, during which time parking will be banned on both sides of Payne there, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Look for barricades and flagmen if you plan to travel on that section of the street. The City folks say residents in the area will have a "brief interruption" of the water supply as the transfer to the new main takes place - you'll be notified.
.that the City's phased-in Sheridan Road sewer project comes up to NU this summer. The project is scheduled to begin immediately after NU's graduation and continue for 18 months. The streets involved are Orrington, from Emerson to Noyes; Foster, from Sheridan to Sherman; Simpson, from Orrington to Sherman; and Sherman, from Hamlin to Simpson. The east side of Sheridan at Foster will be excavated the width of the sidewalk, necessitating pedestrian rerouting around the site.

…that the police department will not hold a bike auction this spring. In the meantime, the department accepts bikes in good condition as donations for the next bike auction. Donated bikes can be dropped off at any time at the station, 1454 Elmwood Ave.

...that someone left a sign on a car that was parked on Crain Street near Florence, which read, "The last car that parked here is still missing." Talk about territoriality!

…that all around King Lab School there is trash on the parkways and in the streets - booze bottles, beer cans, cigarette boxes - that kids walk by on their way to school.
From our readers: TG: I have been out of town. Has anyone responded to the location question of the Burger Chef fast food restaurant? If not, it was located on Dempster just west of Dodge. I was a teacher at ETHS at that time, and that was a frequent stop for lunch after teaching summer school which ended at 12:30. The nearest Burger King was the one out on Dempster in Skokie short of Crawford. It is still there. I don't remember where the nearest McD's was. I believe it was the only burger-type restaurant in Evanston at the time. Now ask your readers if they remember where Cooley's Cupboard, the Toddle House, or the three B&G restaurants were, or the Dominion Room, where one would take one's grandmother for lunch. Other than Fannie's, the restaurant scene in Evanston was pretty bleak back in those days. – Don Gwinn

From TG: Thanks, Mr. Gwinn. No one else answered that question. We'll wait to hear from folks about those other places you mention.
TG: Thank you for writing about Evanston's graffiti problem in your Jan. 25 column. It is unfortunate that the perpetrators are so intent on detracting from our City's beauty.
The faster any graffiti is removed, the less incentive these criminals have to commit their vandalism, and the less time we have to spend living with its ugliness. There are three ways in which all of us can fight this problem:
1. If you see anyone committing this crime, call the police immediately, 9-1-1.
2. Whenever you see any graffiti on public property around town, report it to the City's graffiti hotline, 847-448-8021. They are very quick to respond to reports by removing it.
3. Feel free to clean up graffiti yourself. For a few dollars you can buy effective graffiti removal products at any of the hardware stores in town. I clean up any I see within my neighborhood, and I know that others are doing the same. - TG reader

From TG: Thanks for all the information.
TG: Re: your article in the Feb. 8 RoundTable concerning the inquiry relating to Illinois State law and legal U-turns at unmarked intersections. Does Evanston follow state law or have their own? Your help is appreciated. Emmit A. Ingram, Major, USAFR, Ret.
From TG: Reinaldo Rebollar, a civilian worker at the Evanston Police Department said the EPD follows state law. You can check out ILCS 5/11-802 or visit the Illinois General Assembly website, ILGA.gov and look for the Illinois Vehicle code.
TG: A few questions: After the construction is done on the new Evanston parking garage, do you think Benson Avenue will be repaved? If so, do you think to prevent the crowning on that street in the "Bus Only" lane, that the City would adopt the city of Chicago's approach and use high grade cement for the bus lane?
And finally - whenever the City decides to start reconstructing Chicago Avenue and stop waiting for developers to do so, will there be a turning light at Chicago and Dempster to relieve congestion at that intersection?
From TG: David Jennings, the City's director of public works, reports the following: "The plan right now is to repave Benson in 2007 or 2008 with concrete. The five- year street improvement plan is under development, and we will have a recommendation later this year." As to the Dempster-Chicago intersection, he says, "There are already left turn lanes at this intersection, so I assume the question relates to the use of left turn arrows. This intersection is under contract for design, and part of the design effort is to determine the safest and most efficient signal phasing."

The Traffic Guy Thinks...
…or rather has noticed that when cars brake for pedestrians instead of trying to beat them into the intersection, the pedestrians usually hold back and let them through. Conversely, when pedestrians wait on the sidewalks for approaching cars, drivers often brake and motion the pedestrian on (not, as you cynics are thinking, to run them down).

…here's a cosmic thought seen recently on a bumper sticker in town: “What if the hokey-pokey really is what it's all about?”

Send your thoughts and comments to info@evanstonroundtable.com. We are here to listen.