McHenry council directs restriping at Curran Road intersection, defers traffic signal

The City Council of McHenry voted to proceed with restriping the Curran Road intersection and to study lower-cost changes rather than install a traffic signal now.

The decision follows a presentation of a traffic study by H.R. Green showing that “the warrants for the installation of a traffic signal at this intersection are not met even with crash criteria figured in,” Russ Adams, Public Works director, told the council. Council members reviewed options that ranged from restriping to installing an overhead pedestrian warning signal.

Why it matters: residents said they are concerned about pedestrian safety and “blind spots” at the intersection near Boone Creek and Legend Lakes, and council members considered both short-term fixes and the long-term possibility that traffic volumes could rise if regional connections are completed.

City staff summarized three principal options from the study and their engineers— cost estimates: an overhead pedestrian-warning signal (about $150,000); restriping and removing the right-turn lanes (an engineers— opinion of probable cost near $8,000); and physical removal of pavement for the turn lanes (about $300,000). Council members also referenced an approximate $500,000 figure for installing a full traffic signal during the discussion.

Council members and residents described the local conditions and safety concerns. A resident, Tracy West of Boone Creek, said, “There absolutely is...so there is absolutely a blind spot there,” recounting a crash involving her daughter and urging action to protect pedestrians. Another resident, James Borland of Boone Creek, said, “I think a traffic light is too expensive; removing the right turn lanes would be probably the best solution.”

Council deliberations emphasized a stepwise approach. Staff noted prior measures already taken — increased lighting, flashing stop signage and warning signage — and that no further accidents were known since those improvements. Staff also said previous radar sign deployments showed average speeds near 42 mph but that most drivers observed the limit. The city attorney and public works staff recommended starting with restriping and monitoring results before spending on more permanent pavement removal or installing delineators.

The council directed staff to pursue restriping as the immediate step, coordinate with the recently approved pavement-marking contractor to add the work as a change order if possible, and return with results and any follow-up options. Council members asked staff to also redeploy simultaneous radar speed signs to gather updated data and to coordinate public outreach to nearby neighborhoods about pedestrian-crossing safety.

Discussion versus decision: the council—s formal action was to direct staff to restripe the intersection and gather additional data and public outreach materials; no signal installation or permanent pavement removal was approved. Staff will report back with implementation timing and any recommended next steps.