Traffic Guy

The Traffic Guy Hears...

... that today is the last day to purchase and display vehicle stickers without having to pay a 50-percent penalty. Get over to the Civic Center before the Collector's office closes.

... that the City is going back to the trough for more funds for the McCormick Boulevard repair. We're asking for $214,700 from the feds and or $156,700 from "state and local” funding. We'd better do it right, because after this the street belongs to the City and we'll have to pay for all the maintenance. Do you think that next time it needs fixin' we'll make it four lanes and cut down trees - the very things we tried to avoid by taking control of it in the first place?

... that the City's capital improvement program for the next fiscal year, usually adopted with the budget in later February (although in June last year) will be about $10 million. Some will go for the new green fire station on Central Street, and the rest to streets, alleys, parks, etc.

... speaking of capital improvements, TG hears that the library will be closed Jan. 22-26 while materials and collections are moved from the first floor, in preparation for the overhaul and revamping of the children's collection.

... that the lakefront visioning meeting, that is, the first wholly public one, was held last night. TG heard that "except for a marina, everything is on the table” and hopes fervently that those who would preserve our lakefront for passive enjoyment will be heard and heeded.

... that the planned construction season seems to be on the wane for this year, even though it seems that the weather would have permitted a longer season.

... that this inflatable rat was seen in town a few weeks ago. Does anybody know anything about it?

... that Jan. 19, a week from this coming Friday, is Winter Bike to Work Day, sponsored by the Chicago Bicycle Federation. The day "celebrates transportation for all seasons,” according to the CBF, which adds, "Chicago bicycling in the winter might sound crazy, but most year-roundbicycle commuters attest that it's actually easy, fun and toasty warm.”

Those who commute by bike to Chicago can gather from 7 to 9 a.m. in Daley Plaza for warm treats, hot beverages, a free raffle, winter bicycling tips and mutual admiration and celebration.The Bicycle Federation's Winter Bike to Work Day marks the anniversary of Chicago's coldest recorded day: Jan. 20, 1985, when the official temperature at O'Hare International Airport was minus 27 degrees with 36 mph wind gusts that produced wind chills as low as minus 93 degrees.

... that said, TG hears that 2006 ranks as the 9th warmest year for Illinois. State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey http://www.ses.uiuc.edu, a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said, "Based on preliminary data, temperatures of 54.0°F statewide (1.8°F above 30-year normals) made 2006 the 9th warmest year in Illinois since 1895. This was largely the result of a record-setting January last year with an average temperature of 37.9°F, 13.3°F above normal. Similar annual average temperatures in recent years occurred in 1998 (55.0°F, 3rd warmest), 1987 (53.8°F, 12th warmest), 2005 (53.8°F, 13th warmest), and 1991 (53.7°F, 14th warmest). This is beginning to look like a trend. However, Mr. Angel notes that the top years are 1921 with 55.6°F and 1931 with 55.3°F.

He said December 2006 was the 15th warmest on record with temperatures 5.4°F above normal. Temperatures the first 9 days were 13 degrees below normal and then 12.9 degrees above normal the last 22 days. December temperature extremes ranged from -7°F at Dixon, Rochelle, and Havana on December 8 to 69°F at Grayville on Dec. 18.

The National Weather Service outlook for January-March calls for temperatures above normal and precipitation below normal across Illinois. That forecast is driven largely by a moderate El Niño event now present in the Pacific Ocean but expected to diminish gradually in the next few months. Even so, "we can still expect periods with temperatures and precipitation more typical of the winter season,” Mr. Angel concludes.

... that, meanwhile, up in the sky, you all probably saw the full wolf moon last week. TG hears that we'll get a blue moon in May - and we can talk then about what that is.

... that David Hovey, that optimistic builder, is at it again. He's got a big box of glass condos going up at Old Orchard Road and the Edens Expressway. Guess that's handy for downtown or suburban commuters or chronic shoppers.

... that hundreds of deer in the Midwest are being felled by chronic wasting disease. TG has heard that some folks have seen an emaciated, sick-looking deer along the golf course in the past several months. Wonder if that's going to become a problem up here? Speaking of creatures, anyone interested in flying mammals can attend "They Fly By Night: the Life of Bats” in a couple of weeks at the Ecology Center.

From our readers: TG: Have you ever shopped the Dominick's in Evanston Plaza, on Dempster and Dodge, on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday? If you have, then you have seen the cars parked in front on CD One Price Cleaners. Although there's a parking lot across from the cleaners, their customers park directly in front of the cleaners to either drop off or pick up clothes. This creates a problem, because if you're leaving the plaza, you have to drive around the cars parked in front of the cleaners in the fire lane illegally, into the incoming traffic lane. This has been going on for months. But on Dec. 3 there were four cars parked in front of the cleaners. Traffic Guy, is there anything you can do to resolve this matter? -- Georgette

From TG: Omnipotent as TG seems (mainly in Mittyesque daydreams), there is really little that can be done unless the shopping plaza owner is willing to either hire security or keep calling the police to enforce the law there. People who wish to be idiots can usually get away with it for a very long time. You may know that there is an invisible fence in the parking lot that electronically "boots” shopping carts that are taken over to the legitimate parking area (which you noted) across the way from CD. The CD folks could also put up a sign requesting civil parking behavior.

The Traffic Guys Thinks...

... that at first those inflatable snowmen were cute and kind of fun. But now they've become another symbol of global warming - plastic replacing the real thing - and "let it snow” seems more than ever a wish or a plea rather than a dare.

... that, since Evanston is so continually strapped for cash and Skokie has not raised its property taxes for 16 years, maybe it's time for us to annex Old Orchard, that is, the Westfield Shopping Center. But let's stop at the Edens and leave the Shoppers' Optima to Skokie.

... that this is one of the first things you see when you enter the City's Health Department. If they do outsource the clinic to one of the hospitals, let's hope they export the pop and junk food, too.