Traffic Guy

The Traffic Guy Hears...

...that the City is sinking some teeth into its noise ordinance, through the efforts of the Ninth Ward alderman. Sound (music or anything else produced by a "device for receiving broadcast or reproducing recorded sound" ) that can be heard from more than 75 feet away is now taboo - with the exception of police, fire and ambulance sirens, music a permitted festivals and other such sounds. The fines are pretty steep, ranging from $100 to $500 for the first offense, from $150 to $500 for the second offense and $200 to $500 for the third and subsequent offenses - all within a single year.

...that Lake Street between Elmwood Avenue and the North Shore Channel will undergo sewer rehabilitation through to the middle of November. Areas near three intersections may have temporary lane closures and street closures, to wit: Grey between March 5 and Sept. 21; Florence between April 9 and Oct. 22; and Elmwood itself between May 14 and Nov. 19. This is an MWRD project (as was the last one, see note below from Alderman Rainey), but the City contact for the project is David Stoneback, superintendent of Water & Sewer, 847-866-2942. The MWRD of GC (Greater Chicago) has contracted with Kenny Construction Company to rehabilitate the existing 10-foot diameter sewer on Lake Street. Kenny's project manager is Tom Gillis, 847-674-6326 (regular questions), or 877-775-3669 (emergency).

...that the cinder-block would-be church on Brown and Simpson may still be a house of worship if the City finds its way to granting a parking variance. Seems the Bangladesh Islamic Community Center, with permission from Christ Temple M.B. Church, property owner, would like to be able to have only 11 off-street parking spaces instead of the required 40.

Speaking of parking spaces, TG hears that the City has been asked to give over for private use even more of the public spaces in the Maple Avenue garage. The developer of 1890 Maple wants to be able to lease 40 spaces there for his new project. Hey, what about us normal folks who just want to patronize the downtown restaurants and businesses? On the other hand, maybe we should all (TG included) stop whining about parking spaces and get on our bikes.

...that neighbors are opposing the construction of a condo building at 1001 Chicago Avenue, where there used to be an automobile dealership. One of the neighbors, a Harvard-educated architect, said she has been "surprised and saddened by the recent spate ofcheap and badly designed condos that are currently threatening Evanston's notable architectural legacy. ..."

...that, along the same lines, folks on Central Street have formed the Central Street Neighbors Association in the hopes of preventing tacky architecture, canyonizing developments and all that stuff that just makes the place not seem like Evanston any more.

... that the City has adopted an ash reduction program, getting rid of dangerously diseased and infected ash trees. Don't forget, as soon as this winter weather subsides, the dreaded EAB (emerald ash borer) is likely to return. Here are some tree trimmers snapped by RT photographer Laura Rust.

...that developer James Klutznick may be dabbling in a downtown Evanston project again soon. Stay tuned.

...that scientists have finally decided that we humans are responsible for a lot of global warming (it's not just the cows anymore).

...that Daylight Savings Time is coming earlier and staying later this year - March 11 though Nov. 4. As a result, data and timing processors on many computers and Blackberries could be affected during that period. Some folks say the concerns about this remind them of the Y2K concerns. The early early-morning sunlight comes courtesy of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

...that commuters who patronize Mary Lou Smith's Top of The Tracks coffee shop at the Central Street Metra station voted with their appetites a few weeks ago. Ms. Smith often labels the hard-boiled eggs she sells to breakfast-skippers. She said recently "Civic Center" eggs outsold "Todd Stroger" eggs.

From our readers:
TG: [Regarding the sewer relief project on Custer between Case and Brummell mentioned in the last column] I write only to correct the fact that this is an MWRD project and not a City project.
-- Ann Rainey, Eighth Ward Alderman

From TG: Apologies, alderman.
TG: RE: CBF vs. Critical Mass vs. Wheeling Bike Club
In the Feb. 21st edition of the RoundTable, the Traffic Guy made several mistakes regarding bicycling organizations and bicyclists in the Chicago area.

First, he mistakenly characterized the Auto Show Shut Down protestors as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federations Critical Mass protestors. Critical Mass is not affiliated with the Chicago Bike Federation (CBF)BF is a nonprofit bicycle advocacy organization, and while CBF members may happen to also participate in Critical Mass rides, the two groups have no more than that in common.

Critical Mass is simply a monthly Friday bike ride in cities worldwide, Chicago, Evanston and Oak Park included, attended by those of us who enjoy bicycle riding and emphasizing that bikes are traffic too.

Critical Mass is an event, not an organization.

Second, the Traffic Guy segued from his mention of the Auto Show Shut Down protestors (of which I was one) to noting that the group will kick off the 2007 cycling season with a St. Pat's ride March 18. I was rescued from my confusion only by his inclusion of the website for the sponsoring group, the Wheeling Wheelmen, which is yet another bicycling group, and is also not connected to CBF or Critical Mass.

In the interest of recognizing other modes of area transit, and which bicycle group emphasizes what in local bicycling, please keep your facts straight.
--Nancy Sreenan

From TG: TG must have had a bad week. Apologies to you, too, Ms. Sreenan.
TG: Reader Janice Sachen has it almost right when she describes the reason for the North Line of the Union Pacific's Metra tracks laid out in accordance with the English system (drive to your left). In fact the northwest line (the one which goes through Edison Park, Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, etc.) of the old Chicago & Northwestern, as well as the west line of the old Chicago & Northwestern (the one which goes through Oak Park, Elmhurst, etc.) also were laid out by the same English engineering company, with the same directional pattern. So the claim that the north line is the only one is not quite accurate. Well, it is the only one in Evanston, I guess. Love your column, I turn to it first, and often re-read it a second time. -- David Jones
From TG: Thanks, Mr. Jones. Guess we should tell folks to keep a stiff upper lip about the skewed directions.

The Traffic Guy Thinks...

...that public officials are having us scratching our heads on a couple of things. For one thing, the City's dueling referendum question concerning the Civic Center is getting bizarre. A citizens' group posed the advisory question, should the City stay at the current facility?

The City Council, in turn, posed a competing question, should the City stay at the current facility if it would cost $31 million to do so? Last week, City Council appeared to concede the $31 million figure should be $21 million, and the citizens' group estimates the rehab cost at about $13 million. So what are voting on?

The official results of the ISATs were supposed to be released no later than Oct. 31, but a bunch of snafus delayed the release until about now. Around the state, though, preliminary results show big gains on the 2006 ISATs when compared to the prior year, raising questions whether the jump was due to improved student achievement or easier questions devised by a new testing agency.

In Chicago, the percentage of students meeting reading standards jumped almost 10 percent on the 2006 ISATs compared to the prior year; the percentage of students meeting math standards jumped 22 percent. Hopefully students are learning more, but with the changes in the test we may never know.

... that Hillary Clinton ought to take Bob Seger's "Against the Wind" as her campaign theme. Not only does it take in the Obama phenomenon, it has an apt line for her stance on the Iraq war: "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then."

...that our weather has been interesting in the extreme - a March-worth of weather in two weeks of February: lamb, lion.

And, of course, the perennial geese.