By Ted Slowik
Depending how you look at it, traffic along Route 59 through Naperville is either not so bad or it's so bad you could practically make it from I-88 to 75th Street faster on a bicycle than in a car.
I mean, Route 59 traffic is bad, but it's been a lot worse. I remember when Route 59 was two lanes south of 75th Street. (I remember it being widened during the Great Flood of '96.) It would back up in the evenings southbound all the way from 83th Street to 75th. And the stretch between the mall and the tollway--forget it. And there was no point trying to sneak over on Diehl to Eola, because that was nightmare, too.
I'm not saying Route 59 is my idea of a pleasant drive. I am saying I remember when it was worse, and I can think of worse traffic spots in Naperville. Like Ogden Avenue, between North Aurora Road and Rickert Drive on any given weekday, when the southbound traffic backs up for more than a mile due to the light at Aurora Avenue.
And if you think Route 59 is bad, you ought to check out Weber Road on either side of the I-55 interchange in Bolingbrook. Now THAT'S bad, more like what Route 59 at I-88 USED to be like.
So it depends how you look at it. Yes, traffic at times is congested along Route 59 in Naperville. But it is a nightmare, or no big deal? You tell me.
We've received a few responses so far to Jennifer Golz's first-person account of navigation the traffic on Route 59.
Maritza Gascon wrote:
"The route Jennifer Golz's took was the easiest way because there are three lanes open. When you come to two lanes thats when you catch every light. She should have started from ferry on Rt 59 to New York. She shaould start driving at 5:30pm and seee what people are really taking about. Until then she is wrong about Rt 59."
Denny Suckow offered this:
"I’ve read Jenifer Golz’s fine odyssey of adventures on hwy. 59 and found it to be honest and innovative. Unfortunately, all of we Naperville residents can probably agree on what she found. What’s the cause of the problem? Traffic?, not enough lanes?, green arrows (which eat up a lot of time)?, Too many lights?, or ALL of the Above?
Well the state’s solution is a very expensive and intrusive overhaul which will widen portions of Hwy 59. In Jenifer’s article it seemed to me that she was frustrated by all these factors, but mostly by the lights! I’m only one man and I’m not a traffic engineer for the state, but it seems to me that more lanes will help (a little) and getting rid of all those traffic lights will help ( a lot)! We all have sat through a green light and couldn’t move because traffic was backed up for the next 2 lights. We need to realize (I believe) that offering convenient access on and off hwy 59 to every strip mall and restaurant along the road comes with a price. Let’s consider shopping center access to existing arterials (and not the state highways!)."
And an unidentified reader sent this note:
"The northbound traffic on 59 turning left at 87th into White Eagle subdivision does not get a green arrow during each stoplight cycle. Why can't we turn left without a green arrow when there is no traffic? Why must we wait for the green arrow only?
Northbound 59 traffic turning left at 83rd (Montgomery) cannot turn left without a green arrow either; only this left turn arrow operates every cycle.
Leaving Kohl's Plainfield heading North is impossible since there are no left turns allowed out of that area either on 59 nor on the cross street."
Thanks for the responses.
Friday last week I was leaving Blackwell Forest Preserve on Butterfield Road and returning to where I live, which is North Aurora Ave. It's maybe 4 miles total. It took me 20-25 minutes to get home, most of the time spent between Butterfield and Diehl. This was 1:30 p.m., which is not exactly rush hour. With where I live I have to cross if not drive on 59 almost everywhere I go, and there are large stretches of time (between 4 and 7, for example) when I just won't go out if I don't have to.
The problem is, if they build another lane, they're going to have to probably close one down while they're working, and just imagine how that would be. I lived in Oswego when they were expanding Rt. 34 by the Rt. 30 intersection, and that was a nightmare for about two years.
The issue of congestion on Rt 59 could be better addressed by Naperville & Aurora using current technology to better synchronize traffic flow. Often when I am on Rt 59 on the weekends running errands during the early morning between the hours of 6 & 7 to avoid traffic clusters I have to stop for one red light after another when there are no cars at the intersecting streets waiting to cross over 59 or turn left onto 59.
Even during moderate or heavy traffic traveling north or south on 59 you encounter red light after red light when there are relatively few waiting to cross over or turn left onto 59.
Another problem is that the police are not actively involved in enforcing traffic laws on 59. Often times the backups are so bad that multiple cars turning left onto 59 anxious not to have to wait through another stoplight cycle will block the intersection so those crossing over 59 are stuck while they have a green light causing a domino effect of increased congestion by a few ignorant and self absorbed motorists.
Route 59 is such a cluster it boggles the mind how voters do not hold their municipalities accountable.
Had this issue been better anticipated earlier while the area was experiencing population growth many of these problems would not exist. Suburbs closer to the city of Chicago have main thoroughfares located at a closer proximity to one another where we have much more spacing between main roads such as Eola and Route 59 in addition to many others.
What we have are politicians looking to increase their power and taxing authority by accepting new building proposals for 5 story condominiums and apartments without any regard for improving the infrastructure to better handle the population increases.
Here are some ideas for mayor Pradel and the mayor of Aurora to ponder;
· Many motorists are looking to enter the Fox Valley mall and other expansive strip malls in the same area around the main mall. Have exits on the northbound and southbound lanes that tunnel underneath other major roads and come out in the mall parking lots avoiding stoplights. This would greatly reduce traffic congestion between North Aurora Road & 75th street.
· Longer right hand turn lanes into the malls cutting down on backups at the stoplights.
· As mentioned above better use of synchronized technology, better cooperation between Naperville & Aurora on traffic grid issues and police enforcement of traffic laws.
· An overpass or underpass at 75th street, Ogden Avenue and / or New York street.
· Underground entrance tunnels for traffic entering or exiting in all directions at Route 88 eliminating both stoplights on the route 59 overpass.
While there is a traffic study currently looking at route 59, unless these serious, comprehensive and long-term solutions are implemented area residents will be facing worsening commute times at expanding intervals.
I may have to run for mayor to get these plans moving forward.
A big help to the 59 nightmare is simple at I-88. All IDOT and the tollway need to do is build a SPUI (Single Point Urban Interchange).
This will reduce delays because the interchange will only have one stoplight as opposed to two. SPUIs are more cost effective than diamond interchanges because they take up less land and have shorter ramps. Also, entrances onto the ramps can easily be built as double
left turn lanes to allow increased traffic flow through each green arrow cycle. Search for SPUIs and see the diagram and you'll understand why it will be perfect for 59 at 88.
Updated the map page to use Google maps. You can now link right to Google maps and enter your address for directions, zoom in and out, use the terrain setting or satellite setting.