What Are the Worst Roads to Drive on?

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 9, 2013 at 07:19 pm

Cynthia Passmore Rolfe said on Facebook, "it's four way stop ignorance just south of downtown" in Evanston. "Everyone needs a refresher on the law."

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 9, 2013 at 07:23 pm

Personally, I tend to agree with those who've cited Ridge Avenue in Evanston. It's very narrow, and pretty dangerous when people stop, say, to make a left, and cars try to get around, narrowly missing pedestrians in the process. City stats show that the top three intersections with the highest number of car crashes in 2011 are on Ridge: http://evanston.patch.com/articles/top-10-most-dangerous-intersections-in-evanston. Also, the intersection with the greatest number of pedestrian/vehicle crashes from 2009-2011 is Davis and Ridge. http://evanston.patch.com/articles/top-9-intersections-with-pedestrian-accidents-in-2011

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 9, 2013 at 07:23 pm

Here's a link to the story about the father and son who were struck by a car at Grove and Ridge this past December: http://evanston.patch.com/articles/father-son-struck-by-car-crossing-ridge

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 9, 2013 at 08:15 pm

Megan Lutz agreed with Rolfe. ""I agree with the 4 way stop comments," she wrote on Facebook. "Please do a PSA refresher on how they work!! After I moved here, for a while I thought maybe the 4 way stop laws were different in Illinois than other states!"

lucas January 9, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Church Street is WORSE now that they added the bike lanes. Parking is a problem since they don't have enough pay boxes

lucas January 9, 2013 at 10:13 pm

Another is: Ridge and Oakton. ( need left turn light from West bound Oakton onto Ridge). Parking on Oakton between Ridge and Asbury should be looked it. Parker block viewing of people trying to cross.

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 9, 2013 at 10:34 pm

Thanks for commenting, Lucas!

Stan Golovchuk (Editor) January 10, 2013 at 06:13 am

Cynthia Villarreal wrote on Facebook, "Voltz rd. Nasty curve."

Stan Golovchuk (Editor) January 10, 2013 at 06:13 am

Missy Wilson Taki wrote on Facebook, "Westbound on Walters at Sanders. You get a four-second green light and a three-minute red light. Ridiculous at 11:30 at night. The timing should have some relation to traffic flow."

Stan Golovchuk (Editor) January 10, 2013 at 06:14 am

Amy Pecka Bobula wrote on Facebook, "Northbound Pfingsten at Willow, particularly at 'rush hour'. Same problem as stated above....10 second green light and a red light that goes on forever."

Seymour Taylor January 10, 2013 at 11:54 am

While we are on the subject, why is there a light at Ridge and Monroe? I drive Rudge everyday and invariably that light brings traffic to a grinding halt. There are never any cars crossing and pedestrians are few and far between. The city could help traffic flow by making the light car activated on Monroe.

lucas January 10, 2013 at 12:54 pm

Chicago Ave from South Blvd to at least Dempster will probably be added to this list later this year

lucas January 10, 2013 at 12:56 pm

probably cause there's to much of a stretch on Ridge between main and Oakton without one

Patricia Widmar January 10, 2013 at 02:24 pm

The intersection of Lake Cook Road and Skokie Blvd....the intersection road is a mess!

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 10, 2013 at 03:12 pm

Patrick Coffey posted this comment about Evanston roads on Facebook: "Church street between Dodge and Ridge, the speeding is way out of control, someone is bound to get hit!"

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 10, 2013 at 03:12 pm

Georgia Jones also wrote about Evanston on Facebook: " I'm always nervous crossing the intersection under the viaduct at Ridge getting unto Greenbay or Asbury (more so Greenbay)."

Jennifer Fisher (Editor) January 10, 2013 at 03:13 pm

It was already bad for months last year while they did construction on that new apartment building. Ugh.

Kavan Sidhu January 10, 2013 at 04:21 pm

when I was in highschool it was called suiside circle. golf rd when it forks 6 ways and you really have to be careful. on golf just right behind oakton community college. That was the most dangerous.

Moe @ the Buck January 10, 2013 at 07:43 pm

"Great Gazoo" where are you? This isn't even your article and your pimpin it. Nizzze. Is it a slow day down at Patch Headquarters? How about we ask the readers where we can go to get old-fashioned donuts.

lucas January 10, 2013 at 07:54 pm

still is dangerous

lucas January 10, 2013 at 07:55 pm

Moe
there's this bakery on the corner of stop and don't stop

Jim January 10, 2013 at 08:21 pm

Interesting. If you drive almost anywhere else in the country and then drive back, it is clear that the worst roads are in Illinois. Wonder why? probably because the roads are largely financed by state and federal grant funds and are used as a piggy bank for the unions and the contractors.

Moe @ the Buck January 10, 2013 at 08:33 pm

Interesting Jim. Do tell more. Including your favorite old-fashion donut. Don't hold back.

Jim January 10, 2013 at 09:23 pm

I am a southern food freak and so my motto is, "If it ain't fried, it ain't food". That applies to donuts as well.

Moe @ the Buck January 10, 2013 at 09:26 pm

Me too. Try Lee's donuts on 137+ Milwaukee in libertyville. The open at 5 am and are out by 11am.

Lisa S. January 10, 2013 at 10:14 pm

In Evanston: Most of Chicago avenue. Grove street between Wesley and Dewey.

David Greenberg January 11, 2013 at 01:44 am

Green Bay Road:
* Glencoe by the community center * Winnetka - two lanes that are too narrow * Highland Park - Central/GBR intersection - that goofy "lane shift" that puts the left turn lane in one of the traffic lanes * Highland Park - Laurel/GBR intersection - heading east or west - a left turn lane is needed to help alleviate the "right side beatout" drivers who floor it and almost take out parked cars... * Deerfield Road - Stop playing games with the 30MPH already. Make it 35. Also, those streets right before the stop light where the school is? Make it so drivers can't turn left out of there and cut across all the lanes of traffic just because they're trying to avoid a stop light - let them go to the next block and use the stop light controlled intersection * Highland Park - Hwy 41 and Park Ave West - get rid of the red light revenue generator. I saw an elderly woman get cited for going thru a red light that had changed 0.2 seconds prior - how fast are her reflexes? * Edens Expressway (inbound) - get rid of the Willow Road entrance ramp. It's too short and causes all kinds of goofyness with vehicles there... * Skokie Valley Road and Lake Cook Road Intersection (westbound)- put a left turn arrow in there, and prohibit left turns except on green. It's impossible to see traffic when eastbound vehicles turning northbound are blocking the view... and don't forget the valley the eastbound traffic comes out of... it's an accident waiting to happen...

Jim Osburn January 11, 2013 at 03:34 pm

In Evanston the traffic light at the Levy Ctr on Dodge is an irritant, especially when there is no cross traffic and cars are idling on Dodge. Ridge wouldn't be so scary if SUV's were reclassified as trucks and banned form that lovely blvd, compacts and sports cars only allowed. As for the Lake-Cook at Skokie Rd intersection, who comes up the Edens and turns LEFT? Doesn't everyone turn RIGHT to save on Cook County taxes on gasoline & booze?

Tea January 13, 2013 at 03:39 pm

Although Ridge Avenue saves me gas and time, I go out of my way to not drive on Ridge. It's horrible!

Scout Harper January 14, 2013 at 06:16 pm

Why is it that my comment regarding Laramie ave in Wilmette is not stated on here??? It needs speed bumps and stop signs to prevent the extreme speeding as its proved to be a very busy cut through street from glenview rd to Lake st, to get on I94, and just a direct cut through.. I fear most for children and pets. Most people back into their driveways due to it being easier to see the speeders when pulling out. It's a major danger zone and easy breezy street to speed on! And it backs up to a park so lots of children on bicycles, walkers and runners are all in harms way!!!!