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River Forest District 90 wants to add street parking on Oak Avenue
Updated: February 20, 2013 6:42PM
After more than two hours of discussion about adding 35 new parking spaces in front of Roosevelt Junior High on Oak Avenue, a decision was reached to return March 11 and meet with the engineers for a final vote.
However, another change being considered — making Oak a permanent one-way street — appears to be dead.
Tuesday night, River Forest District 90 Superintendent Edward Condon addressed the River Forest Board of Trustees and a handful of residents at the Village Hall with a detailed outline.
“As part of our desire to install a safe congregation area for students near the front entrance completed last year, approximately half of the parking in the north lot will be displaced,” said Condon.
“Other parking currently available in the middle and south Lathrop lots will be needed to accommodate the installation of parking designed for visitors to the school and library. For these reasons, District 90 is seeking that the Village allow the installation of 90-degree head-in parking on the south side of Oak Avenue, (for 35 spots) to replace the parallel parking that is presently in place at that location,” he said.
“The installation is to create a safer pedestrian vehicular flow on the campus itself.”
Engineers estimate the project will cost about $200,000.
Condon added, “Engineers working for both District 90 and the Village of River Forest have indicated that 90-degree parking would allow the street to remain two-way during non-school hours, and would still provide the minimum number of spaces needed.”
At a hearing last week, the Traffic and Safety Commission voted against recommending that Oak Avenue be changed to a permanent one-way street.
A number of residents voiced their concerns as to whether teachers or parents using these spots will have the proper visibility to see children in the area when they are pulling out.
