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Council approves temporary four‑way stop at Harrison and Washington after residents report crashes
Summary
After residents reported crashes — including one that struck a home and 16 city‑recorded accidents cited — the Wheaton City Council unanimously approved Ordinance O‑2026‑07 adding a temporary four‑way stop at Harrison Avenue and Washington Street while staff completes a longer engineering analysis.
The Wheaton City Council unanimously passed Ordinance O‑2026‑07 on Feb. 2, 2026, to install a temporary four‑way stop at the Harrison Avenue and Washington Street intersection.
Residents who live near the intersection urged the council to act. Samantha Ferguson, 831 N. Washington St., emailed a petition with 47 electronic signatures in support of a four‑way stop; Erin Anthony cited "16 City recorded accidents" at the corner and other speakers described collisions and near misses. City Manager Michael Dzugan told the council staff is conducting an extensive analysis of the intersection given the elevated number of accidents and recommended the four‑way stop as an interim safety measure until engineering work concludes, which staff said may not finish until 2027.
Councilmembers highlighted residents' engagement and the need for interim measures. Councilwoman Leah Bray‑Parker thanked residents for their patience and respectful dialogue; Mayor Philip J. Suess acknowledged the difficulty of understanding why crashes continue there but said the issue needs addressing and called the ordinance a first step. Councilman Brown and Councilman Weller voted to adopt the ordinance after discussion emphasizing both short‑term signage and longer‑term infrastructure options.
The ordinance passed by roll call with all present members voting aye; Councilman Clousing was absent. Staff will continue the engineering analysis and consider other traffic‑calming or infrastructure changes; the four‑way stop remains in place until further study is complete.
