A few months ago, a car crashed into the front of the Wauconda Fire District Station 1, causing significant damage to the property. Fortunately, no first responders were injured. This crash was not an isolated incident but rather the latest in a troubling pattern of crashes that have occurred at the curve on Barrington Road near its intersection with Illinois Route 176 in the Village of Wauconda. Soon after the incident, I met with members of the Wauconda Fire District and Wauconda Police Department to survey the damage and discuss their desire to see safety enhancements made to this stretch of road to address the numerous accidents that occur at this location.
After our meeting I sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) informing them of the situation and requesting the Department conduct a formal safety study at this location and evaluate additional safety enhancements to determine the most effective measures for improving public safety at this stretch of road. I am pleased to share that IDOT recently informed my office that they will be performing a barrier warrant analysis at this stretch of road as well as implementing the following to increase motorist awareness of the change in roadway alignment on Barrington Road near IL 176 in Wauconda:
- Replace the existing 36” x 36” ‘Turn’ sign with a larger 48” x 48” sign
- Replace the existing 18” x 18” ‘Advisory Speed 10 MPH’ sign with a 24” x 24” sign
- Install three (3) ‘Chevron’ signs closer to the intersection at 10 feet spacing.
- Flags will be installed on all signs to enhance sign conspicuity
This is a great example of what can be achieved when different units of government work together on behalf of their community and I want to commend the Wauconda Fire District and Wauconda Police Department for their advocacy on this issue.