Watch Your Speed On Sterling Avenue

Flossmoor resident Jack Edelbrock has always had a problem with how often he sees vehicles speeding down Sterling Avenue, or, as he calls it, “the H-F expressway.” But it wasn’t until a recent mishap that he decided to voice his opinion during the July 16 meeting.

“It came to roost yesterday as I backed out of my driveway and another car clipped me,” said Edelbrock, who lives on Sterling.

Sterling Avenue’s posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Eledbrock says he’s spent considerable time watching vehicles frequently speed past his house, including a semi-truck going in excess of 40 miles per hour.

“I spoke to an officer and he said he’s clocked someone going 52 miles per hour (on Sterling),” Elelbrock said. “We should either vigorously enforce that (25 miles per hour) speed limit or put in a speed bump. I would even entertain paying for part of it.”

Speed bumps, according to Mayor Paul Braun, are historically not a great option. Trustee Philip Minga explained two flaws associated with speed bumps: they make it difficult for emergency vehicles to travel down streets; people tend to overcompensate for having to slow down by speeding up once they get past the bump.

“The answer is enforcement,” Braun said.

The mayor directed Flossmoor Deputy Police Chief, Mike Pulec, who was present at the meeting, to devote more attention to enforcing the speed limit on Sterling. 

“Absolutely,” was Pulec's response.

Is speeding really a big issue on Sterling Avenue? What about other local roads? Tell us what you think in the comments!