Dear Loyola, Make Sheridan Safer

Like many Loyola students, I have class in the Mundelein Center every weekday, requiring I to cross West Sheridan Road and North Kenmore Avenue. Crossing that intersection is almost a necessity at Loyola, whether heading to class or grabbing a meal at Damen.

This seemingly simple task shouldn’t come at the cost of our safety, but this month, two Loyola students have been injured crossing this intersection, The Phoenix reported.

It’s a running joke in my friend group that there’s a car accident in front of Mundelein every week. Recently, it feels more like a truthful statement. 

With only a ten-second warning, pedestrians and drivers feel a rush, regardless of whether they’re crossing the street or turning into campus. Some students jaywalk across the intersections between Kenmore and North Winthrop Avenue to reach their destination in time or to avoid long wait times between walk signals.

The sharp westbound curve on Sheridan Road creates a blind spot for both pedestrians and drivers, who can’t see each other until they’re just seconds away from the intersection. It’s not uncommon to witness vehicles speeding around the turn, unaware or unconcerned about the high-volume pedestrian area. 

Nearby, the L Red Line overpass next to North Sheridan Road and North Winthrop Avenue also serves as a blind spot, especially the right lane turn by 7-Eleven.

While Loyola has added some safety measures — such as brick painting to increase crosswalk visibility — it’s done little to improve street safety. Although West Sheridan is public, many of the buildings along the road are private property owned by Loyola, and therefore share some infrastructural responsibility.

Loyola’s lack of action is in spite of apparent need and even student calls, to the point where it’s been suggested the university set aside funds to build bridges between campus buildings. However, there are more cost-effective potential solutions that would reduce accidents on West Sheridan.

One option is to increase crossing times from the north-south direction. With four-lane-wide intersections, short crossing times and high pedestrian and car traffic, it’s difficult for waiting pedestrians to safely cross during allotted intervals.

If pedestrians were given longer walking periods — even just five more seconds — to cross the road, students may not feel the need to jaywalk. With only 15 minutes between classes, every second counts on the Lake Shore Campus’ 35 acres.

Another potential solution could be to add warning signs for drivers exiting North DuSable Lake Shore Drive approaching campus about the high-volume pedestrian area they’re about to encounter. 

While there are currently warning signs about the sharp curve onto West Sheridan, there are none emphasizing the coming crosswalks. 

Since much of the Sheridan Corner is straight, drivers may develop a false sense of security, making the sudden sharp curve before the West Sheridan and Kenmore intersection even more dangerous. If drivers were warned of not only the drastic change in direction, but also the drastic increase of foot traffic, they’ll likely be more alert and make safer driving decisions. 

Alternatively, Loyola could add speed humps to force drivers to slow down on West Sheridan. Speed humps differ from speed bumps — they’re longer and allow cars to continue driving at a faster rate. If placed directly before the crosswalks, they could effectively and safely force drivers to slow down.

Pedestrians crossing in the east-west direction at West Sheridan and Kenmore on the Rogers Park side are also at risk from reckless drivers. Cars bound for the Lake Shore Campus don’t have the option of a protected left turn into campus, prompting drivers to make risky decisions.

Making left turns is one of the primary reasons for car accidents, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Chicago Traffic Crashes 2023 report. Adding protected left turns, which give left-turning drivers the right-of-way, can reduce car accidents caused by left turn maneuvers.

Unprotected left turns force drivers to find gaps in traffic, often making them rush and overlook pedestrians. This increases the risk of collisions, especially in heavy traffic or low visibility areas. Dedicated signals or turn lanes could reduce the danger.

There’ll always be drivers who disobey traffic laws, but that’s no excuse to ignore pedestrian safety. With so many students relying on these crosswalks, it’s time for city officials and Loyola administrators to prioritize solutions that prevent avoidable collisions before more students get hurt.