Traffic Guy

The Traffic Guy Hears...

...that the CTA will install a new steel structure to replace the 98-year old Church Street viaduct in Evanston (one block north of the Davis Purple Line station).
Trafffic Impact information
CTA Impact information

... that the Chicago/Main corner will be getting some new tree grates, tree frames, benches and trash cans as part of the streetscape improvement in the area.

... that further south, at Kirk and Asbury, the City is putting in new curbs and sidewalks on both corners. Still no word about any Trader Joe's to replace the former CVS, further north on Asbury.

... that the feds are going to kick in about a half-million more dollars for the Ridge Avenue traffic signals.

... that the Ecology Center parking lot has a new permeable surface. These pavers should let rain trickle down rather than just running off into storm sewers or even the canal. Speaking of the Arboretum, it just got a couple of new shiny things: "Silver Wings" was set in at Green Bay and McCormick - and formally dedicated on Sunday - at the end of the Arboretum, and in the middle of the Rotary International Friendship Garden, this globe has taken root.

... that NU took out a few beavers last spring. NU officials said they trapped a few and relocated them out to the Des Plaines River, because the rodents took a liking to several young trees on campus. Speaking of NU, TG hears that parts of Sheridan Road - from about Hinman to Lincoln - will be closed Friday night for NU's homecoming parade. The parade is supposed to start at 8 p.m. NU alum Steven Colbert will be the grand marshal of the parade. Should we expect President Bienen to join the parade wearing a new beaver hat?

... that (NU again) the Kellogg business school hosted Rinaldo Brutoco, president of the World Business Academy and co-author of forthcoming book, "Kicking The Mid-East Oil Habit: The Prometheus Plan Revealed." Mr. Brutoco's PP is the result of "critical findings of a study on dramatic potential U.S. oil savings" - up to 5 million barrels a day within 10 years. He says we can use "profitable, off-the-shelf existing technology with no new taxes required."

... that D. Lynn Halpern of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and Brandeis and Northwestern universities won an Ig Nobel prize in acoustics earlier this month for his research on "Psychoacoustics of a Chilling Sound," in which he conducted experiments to learn why people dislike the sound of fingernails scraping on a blackboard.

The Ig Nobels have been awarded yearly since 1991 in several categories, for research that is seemingly absurd but practical, to wit: why woodpeckers don't get headaches (reference); that dung beetles are finicky eaters (nutrition); a teenager repellent (peace); how many pictures you have to take to ("almost") ensure that nobody in a group photo will have closed eyes (mathematics); why dry spaghetti, when bent, almost always breaks into more than two pieces (physics).

TG loves the Ig Nobel for literature, from Daniel Oppenheimer of Princeton University: "Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly."

And here's last year's winner in literature: "The Internet entrepreneurs of Nigeria, for creating and then using e-mail to distribute a bold series of short stories, thus introducing millions of readers to a cast of rich characters - General Sani Abacha, Mrs. Mariam Sanni Abacha, Barrister Jon A Mbeki Esq. and others - each of whom requires just a small amount of expense money so as to obtain access to the great wealth to which they are entitled and which they would like to share with the kind person who assists them."

You can Google the Ig Nobel prizes; several media covered them. But can someone help TG understand the chemistry Ig Nobel: the study of two professors from Spain entitled "Ultrasonic Velocity in Cheddar Cheese as Affected by Temperature"? Is this about the cheese wheel races in England?

From our readers: TG: For years I noticed that the billboard facing north on Green Bay Road just south of Simpson could not be seen due to a tree directly in front of it (this billboard is tucked behind the self-storage building, north of the old railroad embankment). Yet, ClearChannel Communications, which owns the billboard, sells the space continually to advertisers who are undoubtedly unaware that their ads are not being seen by anyone. I decided to do something about this strange situation, and I began to write to the companies that were advertising to advise them that they were wasting their money. So far I have written to Coke, Tillamook Cheese and Volvo. In each case I give them a link to see the billboard for themselves on the Internet. Tillamook Cheese was very interested in the situation, contacted Clear-Channel and not only got their advertising money back but were given free advertising on another billboard by ClearChannel as a make-good.

This means ClearChannel is aware of what is going on. Take a look at my current pair of photos of the billboard which I sent to Volvo. These are self-explanatory with captions and are at http://cbplace.com/volvo.jpg (shows billboard itself with identification) http://cbplace.com/volvo2.jpg (shows how billboard is invisible to drivers on Green Bay Road for whom it is intended).

Isn't this a crazy situation? Since the blocking tree is a conifer that is green all year 'round, there is no time of year when the billboard is visible.

I wonder how many more years this will go on? Coke wouldn't allow someone to walk out of a store without paying for a case of Coke, yet they were taken for much more by another huge company.

I'd like what seems like continual robbery come to an end. The obscuring tree should be removed or the billboard space should not be sold. -- Clif Brown

From TG: What billboard? Just kidding. TG checked out both the pictures and the billboard, which, as you say, is scarcely visible to southbound traffic on Green Bay south of Simpson. Good for Tillamook (one of the country's best cheese brands) for paying attention. And thanks for the info, Mr. Brown.

The Traffic Guy Thinks...

... that first snow sure was lovely last week. Libby Hill sent us this picture of her back yard.

... while it's nice to have the globe and the "Silver Wings," they're both a little too shiny for the Arboretum, in TG's humble opinion. Let's hope that peaceful place, one of Evanston's gems, doesn't get junked up like the North Shore Sculpture Park.

... Maybe TG and Stephen Colbert could have a beer together - fake journalist to fake journalist - and talk fake shop (but it would have to be real beer).

Arts Week Education. The role of the arts in education came through loud and clear during Arts Week Evanston. Not only was there learn-by-doing in the collaborative city-in-the-sand sculpture at Clark Street beach, there was plein-air painting at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center and around town and a chalk-walk, where chalk was available for the pedestrian artist at various sidewalks throughout Evanston.

Pictured below, students from Haven Middle School decorate the sidewalks at Central Street and Prairie Avenue, as guests of Coventry Eye Care.

In addition, the annual Arts Council and Public Art Committee held their annual legislative breakfast at Oakton School, where the WPA murals are undergoing repair. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, State Senator Jeff Schoenberg, State Representative Julie Hamos (pictured at right)
and Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin all spoke on the importance of the arts.

Rep. Hamos, who engineered the $100,000 funding needed to repair the partially destroyed murals, said the restoration project was "not just an art project; it was a history project and a community project." She added that she "worr[ies] that the No Child Left Behind Act is creating an obsession with testing to the exclusion of creativity."

Sen. Schoenberg said arts "contribute to the articulation and expression of community values. The fact that arts create the capacity to learn more makes our job [as legislators to increase funding to the arts] more urgent."

Gerry Macsai, chair of the Public Art Committee, noted that Oakton School, built in 1914, was a landmark building and described some of the public art in other public schools in Evanston.

She said the Public Art Committee hopes to produce a publication of school art. Ms. Macsai introduced the four politicians, who answered questions from the audience: Commissioner Suffredin, Rep. Hamos, Sen. Schoenberg and Rep. Schakowsky.