With it being St. Patrick’s Day the Quincy Police Department is reminding motorists to plan ahead for a sober ride home keep celebrations from turning deadly.
“We understand people are looking for a reason to celebrate, but we urge you to do so safely,” said Q.P.D. Deputy Chief Shannon Pilkington.
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While festivities may look different this year, the basics remain the same: If you’ll be drinking or using cannabis or another impairing substance, make the right choice to find a sober driver to get you and your friends home safely.”
In addition to patrolling for alcohol and drug impaired drivers, the Quincy Police Department will be stepping up seat belt enforcement, particularly at night when seat belt usage rates are lowest. Speed limits and distracted driving laws will also be strictly enforced.
Based on previous Northwestern University research, we already knew that Chicago’s red light cameras have been doing their job to prevent serious and fatal crashes. Today the Chicago Department of Transportation provided Streetsblog with more recent data that reaffirms that the cams are saving lives.
However, in February 2020 state legislators led by then-Republican state rep David McSweeney of Barrington Hills overwhelming passed legislation in the Illinois House that would ban red light cameras in many suburban municipalities, although Chicago would not be affected. But last month fellow GOP state rep Deanne Mazzochi of Elmhurst introduced a new bill that would ban the cams everywhere in Illinois, including our city.
Midwest Communications
EAST PEORIA, Ill. East Peoria City Council on Tuesday night gave preliminary approval to a traffic project along IL-116.
It would extend from just north of Interstate 74 through the intersection with Highview Rd.
As it’s a state route, Illinois Department of Transportation is responsible for the bulk of the $1.8M worth of work, which will include the installation of sidewalk ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, milling and overlaying the road’s surface, modernizing traffic signals, and improving the vehicle detection system at the intersection with Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino.
The city’s financial responsibility will cover the traffic signals and vehicle detection system, which will cost between $8,435 and $10,544.
UpdatedWed, Mar 17, 2021 at 11:02 am CT
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Joliet s mayor said the Illinois Department of Transportation may need to build Joliet a new bridge to replace the Jefferson Street Bridge which has stayed closed since June 1. (Image via John Ferak/Joliet Patch )
JOLIET, IL Joliet Mayor Bob O Dekirk is fed up with the Illinois Department of Transportation s inability to fix the Jefferson Street Bridge. This week, O Dekirk said city officials were told that IDOT doesn t foresee the repairs being made until at least October. It s unacceptable that this won t happen, the mayor told Joliet Patch. It s been going on for a year. I think enough is enough. It seems like it never gets open on time. They re saying it s now not going to be done until October. Last summer, it was supposed to be done in the fall, and then it became April. It s definitely thwarting development downtown.
Monmouth airport hangar rebuilding moves forward
By Jane Carlson
For the Review Atlas
MONMOUTH A year and a half after Monmouth’s municipal airport hangar burned to the ground, the rebuilding process is moving forward.
The fire that broke out on Oct. 24, 2019, destroyed the hangar, an adjacent office, and eight planes, causing more than $1 million in damages.
“We immediately retained our airport engineering firm to start to move forward with the design and location of the new hangar,” said city administrator Lew Steinbrecher.
Those plans were approved last week by the Division of Aeronautics at the Illinois Department of Transportation, after delays related to staffing issues on the state’s end and COVID-19.