LOGAN SQUARE — A three-lane street alongside Palmer Square has finally been tamed.
It's been more than eight years in the making, but longtime residents of Palmer Square may have finally won their battle with speedsters.
Workers put the finishing touches on speed tables, also known as raised crosswalks, at two pedestrian crossings earlier this month on Palmer Boulevard.
"It ends up being a racetrack during the commuting times," said Steve Hier, who's lived on the square since 1977. "We have tried to calm traffic over here forever."
The new raised crosswalks are on Palmer Boulevard, just north of the square, at Albany Avenue and Whipple Street.
There was initial concern about the price of the improvements, which totaled $115,000, according to Paul Sajovec, chief of staff for Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd).
Sajovec said the project was necessary due to the number of people accessing the square and park, noting there had been no stop signs or lights to help pedestrians cross multiple lanes of traffic.
"The speed tables should improve pedestrian safety and encourage additional use of the square as a neighborhood amenity," Sajovec said in an email.
The project was paid for out of the 32nd Ward's $1.3 million discretionary yearly budget.
Residents of Palmer Square said the three-lane, westbound boulevard had been used as a quarter-mile speedway for drivers looking to catch a green light at Kedzie.
The big question on most summer nights had been "How do you cross the street without getting run over?" Hier said.
The eight-year effort to tame traffic along the boulevard came at a time when the demographics of the neighborhood were skewing toward younger families with children.
Palmer Square was outfitted with new playground equipment in 2009, and those who pushed for the speed reduction plans said more kids have been using the park since then.
"It’s a beautiful park and a beautiful place. It's very tranquil, peaceful," said Bonnie Johnson, who along with Andrea Keller rounded up neighborhood residents to support the plan. "It's easy for someone driving down that avenue to not even realize there’s a park there.”
Johnson said she never would have considered getting so involved in an effort to slow the traffic until she had a baby about three years ago.
Johnson's comments about speeders were backed up by two Streetsblog Chicago reporters who put the boulevard to the test in 2014.
During three 15-minute periods between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. the reporters found that 75 percent of all motorists were driving faster than the 25 mph speed limit.
"Once you have a little life that you are caring for, things change," Johnson said. "I hope it works. That's all I can ask for, is that people slow down the pace."
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