TL;DR: Based on recent accidents we request the village to consider how to make the intersections safer on Waterman through-street, at Kensington and Northwest Highway - for drivers and pedestrians, particularly students.

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Living on Waterman Avenue in Arlington Heights, our family has unfortunately witnessed an alarming number of accidents at two key intersections: at Kensington (near Prospect High School), and at Northwest Highway (by Culvers). Three accidents just in September at Kensington, and last year a fatality at NWH. This concern deeply affects us, not just as residents but as parents with a son attending the local high school, who frequently travels these very roads. Our kids not only attended Prospect, but also took the school bus to South Middle School, and rode bikes to Windsor Elementary - all these routes are worth considering for child safety at these intersections.

We feel that the local community has been grappling with the safety issues posed by these intersections for too long. Apart from the accidents, the absence of traffic lights has led to heightened congestion, particularly during peak hours, affecting daily/school commutes and increasing the risk of collisions and pedestrian accident during school/work rush hour and when Culvers is busy. Implementing traffic safety devices at these intersections can significantly improve safety and reduce traffic congestion by regulating the flow of vehicles more effectively and distributing traffic more safely.

Consider that the lights at Kensington at Rand reduce our through traffic all along Kensington. The potential installation of traffic signals may also encourage drivers to explore alternate routes, reducing bottleneck situations and enhancing the overall flow of traffic within Arlington Heights. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic signals have been shown to decrease accident rates by as much as 50% at dangerous intersections.

We urge the village to conduct a comprehensive traffic study at these intersections that considers number of accidents, traffic volume, and flow patterns. Please work with IDOT to look at NWH State Route 12 also. The introduction of traffic safety management is a viable solution to improve safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.

Let's work together to make Arlington Heights a safer community for everyone. Sign this petition to request a necessary traffic study that could lead to substantial safety improvements at the Kensington and Waterman, and Waterman and Northwest Highway intersections.