Streets and traffic reports from Wards 26 and 32

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will be testing traffic patterns on Humboldt Drive between North Ave. and Division St. starting Mon. Aug. 23. for about two months. It begins with a temporary change in lanes until the end of September. Four lanes of traffic will be reduced to three. The center lane will be a turning lane or a pedestrian refuge area, while the other two lanes will be driving lanes.

The goal of this test is to "calm" traffic down and improve pedestrian safety and comfort, according to 26th Ward Alderman Roberto Maldonado's office. Complaints from ward residents about speeding cars and heavy traffic prompted Maldonado to allocate $20,000 of his menu funds to the CDOT project.

CDOT's traffic and pedestrian safety programs will analyze speed and behavioral changes for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians as a part of the effort to improve safety for all public way users.  Engineers will study the effectiveness of these changes on driver behavior and pedestrian safety during the one-to-two-month test period.

In the 32nd Ward, Alderman Scott Waguespack warns of street closures in the Weed Street area near North and Kingsbury. On Elston there are duo challenges: an event at Wabansia and major reconstruction of deteriorated streets in the city fleet area north of North Ave.