Teen resident urges protected turns at Lawrence–McArthur intersection; city says IDOT project likely within a year

Fifteen-year-old Jonah Hosey told the Committee of the Whole March 11 that the intersection of Lawrence and McArthur is both congested and dangerous and urged installation of protected turn signals on all approaches.

Hosey said crash data from 2013 to 2023 recorded 349 total incidents at that location, with three incidents involving a loss of life. He recounted a recent near-collision in which he said he misjudged a yellow signal while turning left and narrowly avoided a collision; he urged the council to make the intersection safer. "This whole incident could have been prevented entirely if there's a protected turn available on all sides of the intersection not just on 2 sides," Hosey said.

Alderman Carlson and other members thanked Hosey for coming forward and noted the city has worked on the intersection with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Alderman Notriano said the project has been in the works for several years and that IDOT requires procedural steps. "It looks like we might be a year away," Notriano said when asked about the timeline, and another council member said the city hopes to bid the construction piece by the end of the year.

City staff and aldermen emphasized they are coordinating with IDOT and that an engineering/bidding schedule is in development; no formal action or funding allocation was authorized at the meeting beyond continued coordination and project planning.

Why it matters: the intersection generates repeated safety concerns and is the subject of planned infrastructure work with a state agency; residents and council members said faster progress and clearer updates would help address a location residents identified as hazardous.

The committee encouraged Mr. Hosey and other residents to remain engaged with public-works staff and aldermen as the project moves toward the construction-bid phase.