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Hinsdale hires KLOA for downtown traffic and safety study, staff set goals for short- and long-term fixes
Summary
The Village of Hinsdale selected KLOA Inc. to perform a downtown traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety study focused on the Central Business District; the study will produce short-, mid- and long-term recommendations and carried an estimated price discussed between $45,000 and $54,000 during the meeting.
The Village of Hinsdale Board of Trustees heard details Feb. 4 about a planned traffic and safety study of the Central Business District and directed staff to proceed with community engagement and later budget approvals.
Village officials said the study will examine vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle operations and safety from Maple Street to Second Street and from Garfield to Grant Street; it will include counts, crash data and recommendations ranked by implementation timing.
The study firm, KLOA Inc., presented its approach. “For this study, we're looking at conducting daily traffic volumes and speed surveys at 10 locations through the downtown,” said Michael Worthman, principal with KLOA. “Intersection traffic counts of vehicles, pedestrian, and bicycles at 15 different intersections. So we'll get a good cross section of what's going on downtown.”
Nut graf: The study is intended to produce actionable short-, mid- and long-term recommendations that the village can carry into capital budgeting and streetscape work. Village staff said the overall master infrastructure program budget includes $500,000 for streetscape and safety improvements; the study will inform how that money or portions of it are used.
Trustees and staff emphasized the study will look at special-event conditions, outdoor dining and the railroad crossings. Worthman said the firm plans to time traffic counts to capture both vehicle and pedestrian/bicycle activity during spring events and while schools are in session so counts reflect typical conditions.
Trustee discussion asked whether the study would examine measures such as bollards at storefronts and event closures. Worthman said the study will identify short-term, low-cost items such as signage and pavement markings and longer-term physical improvements such as curb bumpouts; he added the consultant can suggest “what you can do as opposed to making a recommendation” on hardening closures and will identify things the village could consider implementing during special events.
Village staff urged trustees not to use the next meeting as a broad “kickoff” public forum for listing streets to study; staff said the consultant agreement includes community engagement and that staff will organize a proper kickoff and public input sessions.
Ending: Trustees said they expect the study to guide future streetscape projects and that school zones may be the logical next area for neighborhood-level safety studies once the downtown work is underway.
