Ponzi put on his thinking cap and figures he’s found a comprehensive solution to complaints about speeding cars and noise and vibrations from decaying pavement on Oakton Street, a problem that has led Alderman Coleen Burrus, 9th Ward, to demand a 20 mile per hour speed limit on the road.
Cartoon: A ‘solution’ for street vibrations
Leave a comment
The goal of our comment policy is to make the comments section a vibrant yet civil space. Treat each other with respect — even the people you disagree with. Whenever possible, provide links to credible documentary evidence to back up your factual claims.
This is stupid
And I'm not talking about the concept of slowing traffic on Oakton.
Ponzi is a stupid cartoon and offers nothing toward solving any of the problems in Evanston. Please top running the cartoon.
Ponzi is not a stupid cartoon
Ponzi is not a stupid cartoon. The cartoon is meant to bring light to Evanston corruption and ridiculous politicking. It's supposed to be humorous and entertaining. I love the cartoon.
Reality
First, at what times of the day and night are these sounds and vibrations occuring?
Second, how are these sounds and vibrations being measured? And by whom?
Perhaps the city should measure the sound and vibration on this segment of roadway and compare those measurements with comparable segments of roadway, perhaps on Chicago or Central Avenues.
Then, run a bevy of city vehicles of different weights and sizes at different speeds, including the requested 20 mph, to determine what speeds produce the least amount of sound and vibration for each type of vehicle.
Maybe it's only certain vehicle types that are producing certain sounds and vibrations
Or maybe it's only certain times of the day when people notice these sounds and vibrations.
Rather than turning this into a political contretemp, base claims and decisions upon hard data.
In taxes we trust – in Ponzi we doubt
Alderman Burrus proposes lowering the speed limit to 20mph.
I'm not sure that this is a good idea, or necessary, and I'm not necessarily in favor of arbitrarily imposed speed limits.
But what does this have to do with taxes? Where has Burrus proposed spending more money or taxing people, as Ponzi's cartoon suggests? She has a record of opposing spending.
It appears that Ponzi – like Anonymous Al – is just making up stuff to suit his agenda. Maybe there is something in the water up in the 7th ward. And speaking of water, the City's management of its water facilities is looking pretty good – despite Ponzi's warnings of gloom and doom.
Please watch the last City Coucil meeting on Cable
Watch the last city council meeting on cable if you have doubts, Alderperson Burrus proposed spending 1.7 million dollars on Oakton. Other council member appear not to be interested. Nor does this cost appear reasonable given the condition of other streets and the length of Oakton which actually needs resurfaced.
I am not making this up to suit my agenda, I think the 1.7 million is a fact.
Also go to the city CAFA – Finanical report – the city is basically stealing 3 million out of the water fund and 4 million out of the sewer fund transfering the money to the general fund and the parking fund. What don't you get here. They are telling you they raising your water bills for repairs to the system that is just not true. Go ask Alderperson Burrus if you need to have this explained.
No gloom and doom, the fact is the water department is a pig bank for the council and the public is getting a bad deal. Water bills could be cut but your property tax would increase by 20% or more. Its an interesting PONZI scheme to say the least.
In taxes you trust?
11% tax hike in two years, plus water hikes +++ =be happy?
I pick up my property tax bill and see it's up 11% in TWO YEARS! THe water bill is up. The parking meters are going up 25 cents/hour, and come this fall we will have two referendums (one from D65 and one from the city) asking to raise taxes even more!
When I see comments like "in taxes we trust," it makes me wonder if you are seeing the same rates of increases that I am? Is your paycheck going up because mine isn't, so I think there is every right to be a bit doom and gloom… Perhaps you might think about buying a water filter?
Keep up the good work Ponzi! Your cartoons give me hope that there is still a spark of hope in this town for change- LEadership with an understanding of economics. I don't think it's too much to ask.
As usual Mr. Junad has mixed
As usual Mr. Junad has mixed fact and fiction to create his own reality. I was in attendance at the AP&W meeting that discussed the Oakton speed limit being reduced to 20 mph. Burrus reported that the director of public works told her that the cost to repave Oakton from Custer to Dodge would be $1.7 million. Burrus said she requested the reduced speed as a measure to help residents because as she clearly stated that there were not currently funds available to repave the road and she was looking for options that would not cost the city additional funds. Burrus went on to say that in the next five year capital improvement plan that she would put in a request to include portions of Oakton in the plan. She also made it clear that the repaving project on Oakton will need to compete for funding with the many other infrastructure improvements needed throughout the city.
Burrus is one of the only members of the city council to be a fiscal hawk thus your cartoon is foolish as well as inaccurate.
I love Ponzi’s cartoons
I like his cartooons- I mean really- to complain about sound vibrations on the road?!
You suggest that Pnzi doesn't offer any real solutions to the problems- but the point of this cartoon is that sound vibrations are not a real problem.
When you move into a house/apartment, you should notice things like a big road in your backyard, or rows of college rental apartments that might cause sound vibrations. These issues are usually a reason why your house or rent is cheaper. DOn't get a place there, and then complain about the problems, expecting that the alderman will change it for you. THis, is stupid.
Lower the speed on Oakton to 15 mph, 10 mph, even …
Evanston drivers, and cyclists, are the rudest and nastiest drivers of everywhere I've lived!! They'd rather run you down instead of letting you walk across the street. Take a little too long, like with a child or a dog, you're lucky you don't get shot. Evanston drivers double park to the point that another car cannot get down the street. Evanston drivers double park even when there are more than enough parking spaces on the street … oh, excuse me, they're not right in front of where they want to go … oh, boohoo. I've seen Evanston drivers park right in front of a fire hydrant. I guess if you have your 4 ways/hazards going makes it OK to park in front of a fire hydrant and run in to get their dry cleaning … by the way, BC Cleaners, it''s very nice that you are shoveling the sidewalk near the fire hydrant. BUT, if you are only shoveling the snow to give easy access to your customers, you are aiding and abetting them in their scofflaw, arrogant and entitled ways which would encourage me to encourage the police to check out your motives.
I say lower the speed on Oakton to 15 mph, that might slow the Evanston drivers down to, let's say, 40 mph? Oh, there's schools on Oakton … well, so what? These are Evanston drivers and they can go as fast as they want and the kids better stay out of their way.
I say lower the speed on Oakton to 10 mph … that just might get the Evanston drivers to go 30 mph … I would make sure, though, if I ran Evanston, I would put a plain police car out on the street near every school to go after the scofflaws.
Evanston, the town of liberals, which is another name for entitled.
Groundless complaint
"by the way, BC Cleaners, it''s very nice that you are shoveling the sidewalk near the fire hydrant. BUT, if you are only shoveling the snow to give easy access to your customers, you are aiding and abetting them in their scofflaw, arrogant and entitled ways which would encourage me to encourage the police to check out your motives."
The sidewalk near the fire hydrant? You mean the area right in front of BC Cleaners?
Isn't it reasonable for a business to clear the snow from the sidewalk…at its front door? I don't know if Yun owns the building or not, or if she rents maybe the lease requires her to take care of snow removal…but the City does require businesses to clear the snow from the sidewalk in front of their stores.
So you want the police to investigate why a business owner is removing the snow from in front of her business?