By Ted Schnell • BocaJump
The Elgin City Council on Wednesday will be asked to make permanent parking restrictions on three East-Side streets, after a trial run over the winter months was deemed a success and was uncontested by neighborhood residents.
The streets were Cookane Avenue, between Hastings and Jay Streets; Congress Street between George Street and Illinois Avenue; and all of Lessenden Place, city Management Analyst Aaron Cosentino said Monday.
“There were a number streets there where our Public Works Department said they were having issues with getting (snowplows) through the street,” Cosentino said. “Their recommendation was to restrict parking on certain sides, and we went ahead and did that as a trial …”
The Elgin Public Works Department sought the restrictions in December. The city’s Community Engagement Committee, which considers issues such as street safety and parking, gave the go-ahead for a 90-day trial of the restrictions.
The Public Works Department recommended restricting parking on Cookane’s west side with the new restrictions supplanting the existing restrictions. The south side of Congress was recommended for restrictions because existing utility poles along that side of the street would reduce the city’s cost of installing signs. Parking was restricted on both sides of Lessenden because it is less than 20 feet.
The city installed parking signs in January and monitored the streets throughout the winter, according to staff documentation of the proposed restrictions.
The restrictions alleviated snowplowing difficulties, and city officials believe the restrictions also will ease other services such as leaf collection and garbage pickup. Since affected property owners voiced no opposition to the restrictions, the city staff is recommending the restrictions be in place year round.
A fourth and a fifth street were Included in the trial – Knotty Pine Drive and Misthaven Court, which are both on Elgin’s southwest side, south of Hopps Road between Umbdenstock and Randall roads. But the trial in that area was ended after residents complained.
“We ended the trial and let that go back to what it was,” Cosentino said.
