On July 19, the village planned to block off northbound Gottschalk Avenue at 183rd Street for a one- to two-week test period. There have been accidents at the intersection, including one fatal pedestrian accident in 2015. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
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Gottschalk closure at 183rd on Tuesday will test dead-end option

Homewood officials announced on Friday that Gottschalk Avenue will be blocked off at the intersection with 183rd Street starting Tuesday, July 19. The temporary closure will test the feasibility of making Gottschalk a permanent dead-end at that spot.

The test is expected to last one to two weeks.

On July 19, the village planned to block off northbound Gottschalk Avenue at 183rd Street for a one- to two-week test period. There have been accidents at the intersection, including one fatal pedestrian accident in 2015. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
On July 19, the village planned to block off northbound Gottschalk Avenue at 183rd Street for a one- to two-week test period. There have been accidents at the intersection, including one fatal pedestrian accident in 2015. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)

The move is part of the village’s project to make safety improvements to 183rd Street. Residents along the street have long reported chronic speeding problems, and a traffic study commissioned by the village last year provided accident data and identified the most dangerous areas along the street.

In May, the village tested a lane restructuring option, reducing 183rd Street from four lanes to two from east of Aberdeen Street to east of Riegel Road.

Early last week, another safety measure was implemented when pylons were installed on 183rd Street at Park Avenue, just west of the train bridge viaduct. 

The pylons form a barrier along the center line of the street, allowing left turns onto Park Avenue for eastbound 183rd Street traffic, but preventing left turns onto 183rd for vehicles traveling south on Park. 

Left turns to head east under the viaduct have long been prohibited, but some motorists make the turn anyway, according to the traffic study. 

New pylons along the center line on 183rd Street west of the viaduct prevent Park Avenue motorists from making illegal left turns to head east on 183rd Street. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
New pylons along the center line on 183rd Street west of the viaduct prevent Park Avenue motorists from making illegal left turns to head east on 183rd Street. (Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)

Homewood Village Manager Napoleon Haney said on Saturday that blocking Gottschalk was an option residents along the street supported when they met with village officials.

Village officials will need to gather traffic data from the Gottschalk and Park areas, and compile it with information gathered during the lane restructuring in May. Haney said village officials plan to be methodical about the long-term project, making sure they understand how each change could affect traffic and residents along the street before choosing next steps. 

Consulting with residents at each stage is part of the process, Haney said.  

The traffic study provides the village with a number of options to consider, and these early tests and implementations are among the lowest-cost changes. Others, including possibly installing a traffic light at 183rd and Center Avenue, would be costly and would require the village to seek funding help.

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