The intersection of 47th Street and East Ave, 50% in La Grange and 25% in Brookfield and McCook each, has been notoriously dangerous for as long as residents can remember. People regularly alter their day-to-day routes to avoid that intersection, and those who do cross 47th and East on a regular basis always have several stories of close calls they've had at the intersection, most of the time involving trucks. The busy intersection consists of two four-lane roads intersecting at non-flashing four-way stop signs, excessive bumps and potholes, hardly visible faded lane lines, a freight train track that curves and crosses both streets, and a constant influx of semi-trucks and other large trucks from the adjacent quarry. Drivers regularly cross the intersection out of turn, stop in the middle of the intersection of Bluff and 47th blocking drivers from turning left onto westbound 47th from Bluff after turning left onto Bluff from northbound East, and stop on the train tracks, intentionally or not. There have been many traffic studies and proposals for changes at 47th and East over the years, decades even, including stoplights and bridges, and not one proposal has amounted to any change. If anything, the intersection has only deteriorated over the years as traffic continues to increase and the numerous failed plans to make it safer have led to a general neglect of the intersection by all jurisdictions. Residents can understand that constructing a bridge over tracks is an extensive, complex project that will make traffic even worse for a very long time, and many people are uneasy with the idea of a stoplight installed at railroad crossings, though the technology does exist for that to happen and stoplights at railroad crossings are fairly common, for example in downtown La Grange. However, there are many ways to make intersections safer at a smaller scale, several of them being general maintenance, which 47th and East has been lacking for a long time. These safety measure include but are not limited to:

-Repaving the road and repainting lane lines around the intersection, and further east down 47th

-Flashing stop signs

-Increased traffic/speeding enforcement (very much needed on all main roads in the area)

-No left turn from northbound East directly to westbound 47th, and making a left turn lane on the section of Bluff running diagonally from East to 47th

-No right turn from eastbound 47th directly to southbound East, and making a right turn lane on the same diagonal section of Bluff

-A new stop sign on 47th at Bluff, so drivers reduce speed before crossing the tracks, and so drivers can turn left onto westbound 47th from Bluff more safely

-Reducing the speed limit on 47th east of the intersection (McCook and Brookfield) to 30

It's long past time to do something about this dangerous intersection, and we fear that it's going to take a terrible and completely avoidable tragedy occurring before officials take any action to make 47th and East safer. This tragedy could happen to any one of us or our families or neighbors, and with the long history of failed plans to make the intersection safer, anyone would be justified in filing a lawsuit with the jurisdictions in charge of the intersection. The safety of our community should always be the top priority.