Saturday, August 30, 2008

Speed Limit Sign Down


Over a month ago this 40MPH speed limit sign was knocked down. The 4"x4" wooden post was snapped off even with the ground, but the sign appears to be undamaged. As you leave Crystal Lake on U.S. 14 and head for Woodstock, you leave the 35MPH zone just past the traffic light at South Ridgefield Road.

At this point the speed limit changes to 40MPH, and then the speed limit changes to 50MPH after you round the next curve.

No doubt that Crystal Lake Police (or McHenry County Sheriff's Department) reported this to IDOT, assuming the accident was reported. But maybe the driver just ran off the road, hit the signpost, backed up and took off.

How many police officers, deputies, and IDOT maintenance crews have driven by this downed sign? You can see where it was; all the grass is dead under it. I first noticed the sign was gone in mid-July and notified IDOT. They must be busy with potholes, or maybe there isn't any money left after the $1.8 Million spent on the rumble strips between Crystal Lake and Harvard.

Is this sign important?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

OMG!!!! Sign Down!! Sign Down!! Call in the national guard for this disaster. Crystal lake is now a disaster zone.
With all this time spent complaining about, put it back in the hole and help IDOT out, they got more stuff to worry about than just your requests.

Gus said...

Obviously, it's not just a matter of standing up the signpost and sticking it back in the hole in the ground. The post is broken off at ground level.
This means a new post is needed, the old post must be removed from the ground and the sign needs to be bolted to the new post.
IDOT routinely replaces signs that are knocked down. It's not "my" request; it's their responsibility and fully within the scope of their duties.
My point is that it shouldn't take a month.

Unknown said...

You've clearly identified the problem and engineered the way to fix it. Now the next step is to put it all back together. After that apply for a job fixing broken signs for IDOT.