Residents and committee press for Highland Avenue speed-study after three recent fatalities

At a DuPage County Transportation Committee meeting, resident and DuPage County Board District 2 candidate Tracy McQueer urged the committee to review crosswalks and reduce speed limits on Highland Avenue following three recent severe accidents, including two fatal crashes on March 27 and another fatality on May 10, 2026. "Traffic is not stopping for pedestrians... Residents report the traffic is often traveling 9 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit," McQueer said during public comment.

Committee members and staff responded by outlining the county's engineering-based process for setting speed limits. Steve (Division of Transportation staff) described the county's policy and said changes must conform with the county's adopted method and applicable state statute. "Once that policy is adopted by the board, then that's the policy we have to follow," a staff member explained. Legal counsel said he would review whether municipal or county authority differs in cases of fatalities and confirmed the county relies on documented engineering studies when it faces litigation.

The committee discussed a specific stretch of Highland Avenue where a commenter said an 85% share of drivers exceeded the posted limit. Member comments emphasized keeping an engineering perspective and considering enforcement alongside design changes. One committee speaker told members he reviewed crash-speed data for a March incident and said the driver was recorded at 104 mph five seconds before the crash and 89 mph at impact, noting "there are situations...where there's truly nothing a speed-limit change would have done in this situation." (speaker providing the crash-speed figures spoke during committee discussion; the committee did not attribute criminal findings or convictions in the meeting record.)

DOT staff told the committee the speed-data analysis for the local study can be wrapped up quickly and said staff would return the results at the committee's August meeting. If the analysis justifies a reduction under the county's policy, staff said the committee could present an ordinance or resolution for board approval and, after board action, signs would be changed promptly. Staff cautioned that making changes outside the county's approved policy could raise enforcement or legal questions.

The committee did not take a formal vote on a speed-limit change at the meeting. Members asked staff to complete and present the study findings in August so the committee can consider whether a speed-limit reduction or other measures (engineering changes or increased enforcement) are warranted.