Ald. Roberto Maldonado Says City Will Take Action On Concerns About Dangerous Hermosa Intersection
CHICAGO (CBS) -- CBS 2 showed you this week how dangerous the intersection of Pulaski Road and Dickens Avenue can be – with cars plowing past stop signs and refusing to yield to pedestrians.
At the time, Hermosa neighbors said they couldn't get an answer from Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th). But on Thursday night, Maldonado was talking to CBS 2's Tara Molina.
The alderman saw our story, and said his office has already made moves to make changes here. That is something the people who call the area home, and have to cross the streets, say they've wanted for a long time.
Crossing the streets at Pulaski and Dickens means taking a risk, according to people who live nearby.
"This area is very dangerous," concerned resident Angel told us this week.
CBS 2's cameras documented that not everyone stops at the stop signs in either direction on Pulaski Road.
Just last week, a man in a dump truck blew a stop sign at the intersection, hitting and killing a man crossing the street.
Residents took it upon themselves to put traffic cones in the street. But they said that is not enough.
"Neighborhood leaders from the Hermosa Neighborhood Association have addressed this issue with the 26th Ward, and really, we have not heard anything," said concerned resident Eric Nelson.
So, we brought those concerns to Ald. Maldonado.
"Obviously, I'm deeply concerned," Maldonado said.
Maldonado claimed his office had not heard concerns from the neighborhood until our story aired Wednesday.
"Honestly, my office have never heard any complaints about that intersection," Maldonado said.
The Chicago Department of Transportation will be getting involved, according to the alderman.
"You did that story yesterday. Today, we did call CDOT so they can go out there, because that is the first step," he said. "They have to do a traffic study, and they have to decide to recommend, or not, a traffic light or any other ways to force people to reduce their speed."
Maldonado added, "And I hope we don't have to see another fatality before the city really takes actions."
Right now, there aren't details to share on that planned traffic study, but of course, we'll stay on this.