2008-01-02 Complaint Column

My final column of 2007 is some complaints of the recent past, present, and future.

A big problem in my area, and probably in many areas of the Fox Valley, is under-engineered left turn lanes. Many times one has to wait through several lights to make a left turn and the lane backs up so far that it causes problems for those going straight as well.

These are some that cause the biggest delays for me and apparently many others. North-bound Eola Rd. turning left onto Indian Trail, a route used by many to get to Granger Middle School. West-bound North Aurora Rd. turning left onto Eola Rd. East-bound Diehl Rd. turning left onto Rt. 59. East-bound New York St. turning left onto Rt. 59, which makes the short distance from the mall shopping areas to those on the opposite corner take a very long time.

Grade-level railroad crossings are a minor concern at the moment but with the proposed sale of the EJ&E railroad these will potentially become a major headache. Thousands of drivers cross the tracks at Diehl Rd., Liberty St., Ogden Ave., and 83rd/Montgomery every day. The slow-moving freight trains take several minutes to clear the intersection.

If the railroad is sold there will be a huge increase in the number of trains daily as well as a tremendous increase in the number of hazardous material car loads annually. If the grade-level crossings are not converted to over and underpasses this will have a significant impact on everyone who drives these routes, including school buses and emergency vehicles. The public has the opportunity to comment on the Canadian National Railroad’s plans through Jan. 28.

One crossing scheduled to be revamped is the North Aurora Road underpass. I don’t know when this will happen but I can only hope that it will lead to some improvement for vehicles coming and going from All Seasons Ice Arena. The parking lot is extremely difficult to exit during evening rush hour for even a right turn.

Another big complaint is lack of parking for downtown events where one can be assured their vehicle will not be towed. All lots that are not in use for a business that is open during the event should be available for free parking with no danger of towing. Many lots that have been available in the past aren’t any more.

Red light cameras were in use in Bolingbrook for several months and many are unhappy with the implementation. Naperville has plans to install them at 2-4 intersections before possibly moving forward with the plan for several busier intersections. Aurora City Council has this on their agenda yet again in January with plans to put them into service at many intersections all at once.

There are widely varied opinions and many concerns about these throughout the country and our City Council should take a step back and decide whether this is something necessary for the safety of our community, or a “money-generating trap” as they were called by a state senator in New Mexico. A better solution to the safety issue may be to delay each green light by one second so that all sides of the intersection are red for that time.

I don’t live in U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert’s district but most of my family does. Everyone I’ve discussed this with agrees that it was rotten of him to resign in the middle of this term and force a costly special election. When he was re-elected he should have been committed to serving out his term for his constituents. What a disappointing end to his Senate career.

I am upset to have the largest Planned Parenthood in the country right here on the east side of Aurora. It would be great if they could simply provide women’s health services excluding abortion.

I am saddened at some of what massive immigration has done to my hometown and the school district from which generations of my family are proud graduates.

Issues that I’ve been involved with in my school district have come with mixed results this year. The candidates I supported were elected to the School Board. Our district did not get quick-take for the land needed for our third high school and we had an adverse outcome in the condemnation case. Thousands of families in the district do not know which high school their children will attend because we don’t know where the new school will be nor when it will open.

I supported daytime classroom Halloween parties but several schools now have much less-inclusive evening parties instead. I supported air conditioning for our impossibly hot elementary school classrooms but that has been tabled for now for numerous reasons.

All day kindergarten will be a reality in our district next year. State law requires districts to provide half day kindergarten as well and I hope that many families will choose to go that route. I am sad for all the kindergarteners being pushed to do more while having less opportunity to just be a little kid. I am sad for the elementary students who will lose their art or music rooms and/or will be forced to learn in cramped quarters or in a busy place like the school library. This will be reality in some schools as they carve out space for these additional kindergarten classrooms.

Whew! Now I’m ready for a new year and a fresh start. I wish you all good health and prosperity in the coming year.