Streator council backs resident, passes resolution asking IDOT to improve safety at Route 18/Cane Lake Road intersection

Jordan Russo told the Streator City Council that the intersection of Illinois Route 18 and Cane Lake Road is dangerous and asked the city to press the Illinois Department of Transportation for changes.

“I have seen how dangerous it is. I’ve seen a lot of very near misses, a lot of close calls. People speed through that intersection. They blow through stop signs,” Russo said during the council’s public-comment period, and asked the city for “support and raising awareness and alertness of drivers.”

The council then considered and adopted Resolution 2025-27, “requesting that the Illinois Department of Transportation, IDOT, take action to improve traffic safety control at the intersection of Illinois Route 18 and East Fifteenth County Road located in LaSalle County, Illinois.” Council member Reid moved the resolution; Council member Shire seconded. The roll-call vote recorded Council members Danko, Gary, Reid and Shire as voting “aye.” The motion passed.

Before the vote, Reid said he had seen Russo’s posts online and that “a letter from the city of Streator or a resolution from the city of Streator would put some weight behind what she’s doing,” and commended her advocacy. Russo told the council she had documented 23 crashes over nine years at the intersection, “30 injuries and 1 confirmed fatality on scene,” and that totals for 2024 were not yet entered into the system.

The council’s resolution asks IDOT to review and take action; the resolution text itself was introduced and approved at the meeting. No specific engineering remedy, construction timeline or funding amount was adopted by the council at the meeting.

The council’s action followed public comment and is a formal request to a state agency; any traffic-control changes would require IDOT review and approval.