Residents raise weekend parking and street-lighting concerns; council asks staff to follow up

Delaney, Ill. — At the Aug. 11 meeting, residents raised safety and convenience concerns about weekend vehicle congestion on Dewey Avenue and reported inadequate street lighting near the cobblestone area. Councilmembers asked staff to follow up and explore options, including removing parking stalls to create pull-over space.

What residents said: One resident said he has received multiple complaints about weekend traffic in the block of Dewey Avenue between Shear Street and Brown Street and suggested removing one or two parking stalls so cars can safely pull over. Another resident reported that a lamppost or streetlight in the cobblestone area was out and that prior arrangements to maintain lighting may have been missed; the resident said staff were advised to follow up.

Council response: Councilmembers asked the appropriate departments to follow up with on-site reviews and to return with options for addressing parking or lighting, and the meeting chair thanked residents for bringing the matters forward. No formal action or ordinance change was taken; staff follow-up was requested.

Context: The concerns arose during the public-comment portion of the agenda. The council’s public-works staff typically addresses street-lighting and parking adjustments after site review and may present recommended changes at a future meeting.