Evanston police have dramatically stepped up enforcement for traffic violations along Ridge Avenue in the wake of the City Council’s decision to lower the speed limit there from 30 to 25 miles per hour last month.
Sgt. Tracy Williams of the Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Bureau says that 465 tickets have been issued on Ridge Avenue since Feb. 1.
That’s far more than the total of 284 citations that were issued citywide during the same period last year. And it represents nearly 85 percent of the total of 550 citations issued citywide during the Feb. 1 through March. 9 period this year.
Williams says not all those tickets were for speeding — they encompass all types of traffic violations. But he says officers definitely have increased speed enforcement.
traffic calming
The speed cars travel at has little to with the posted speed limit. If the city wants to slow cars down, they should redesign streets for slower speeds.
Comparative data
When will Evanston provide the comparative data on crashes from before and after the reduction of the speed limit on Ridge?
It Would Be Meaningless
Because they have increased police patrols to enforce the lower speed limit. If there is a change in the number of crashes was it the speed limit or an increased police presence?
Park patrol car on corner.
Yes police presence makes big difference.Park vacant police(dummy) car on different corners,during the day hours.
85 percent?!
“And it represents nearly 85 percent of the total of 550 citations issued citywide during the Feb. 1 through March. 9 period this year.”
Wow, let that sink in. A single thoroughfare accounted for almost 9 out of 10 citations in the entire city of Evanston! That is insane. Don’t speed on Ridge clearly…..
Seems perhaps overly excessive, but I understand they’re trying to send a message. I have seen several cars pulled over recently. It’s annoying when the cars just stop on Ridge in the rightmost lane and don’t turn onto a side street as the police officer then strategically parks behind and to the left slightly of the stopped vehicle, so everybody has to be very careful to pass since the left lane is even smaller than it normally is. Really holds up traffic….and has the potential for another accident, which is a bit ironic.
Remember
Most of this is the enforce increase that started. The new speed limit did not start until the end of February.
Ridge ave traffic enforcement
I have lived here 40 years and now all of a sudden we have a problem. Where has that problem been for 40 years that no one seemed to notice until now. I will be most vigilant to NOT use Ridge Ave. I will also keep this in mind come next aldermanic election.