Residents demand urgent action to tackle dangerous traffic issues

Residents of Mount Prospect voiced their ongoing concerns about traffic issues on Audrey Lane during a recent government meeting. Vita Larosi, a local resident, detailed his extensive efforts to address the problem, which he first reported in May 2020. Despite multiple communications with village officials and three traffic studies conducted since then, Larosi expressed frustration that the issues persist, with traffic volume increasing from 775 vehicles per day to over 1,000.

Larosi highlighted that many residents have been raising concerns about traffic on Audrey Lane since 2013, yet solutions remain elusive. He noted that the average speed recorded during the latest traffic study was 25.5 miles per hour, a figure he disputes based on his own observations and video recordings, which indicated an average speed of 29.9 miles per hour. He attributed the high traffic volume to cut-through routes used by Waze, school buses, and commercial vehicles, which he believes compromise the safety of the neighborhood, particularly for children.

During the meeting, Larosi suggested implementing speed bumps and possibly dead-ending certain streets to deter cut-through traffic. However, he acknowledged that the village has historically been resistant to speed bumps due to concerns about snow plowing and emergency vehicle access. Trustee Filippone and other officials recognized the challenges and discussed the need for a comprehensive approach to address the traffic concerns, including potential communication with Waze to alter routing through residential areas.

Another resident, Debbie, echoed Larosi's concerns, emphasizing the dangers posed by the lack of stop signs at critical intersections, which leads to near-miss accidents. She proposed adding stop signs to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the area.

The meeting underscored a growing urgency among residents for effective traffic management solutions, as they fear that without intervention, a serious accident may occur. The village officials acknowledged the issues raised and committed to exploring potential measures to enhance safety on Audrey Lane and surrounding streets.