Clarendon Avenue Lighting

CLARENDON AVENUE STREET LIGHTING PETITION
December 2005

We, residents of the Uptown neighborhood surrounding Clarendon Avenue, hereby formally petition for brighter, pedestrian-friendly lighting on North Clarendon Avenue (800W) between Montrose Avenue (4400N) and Lawrence (4800N) Avenues in the 46th Ward of Chicago, for the improved safety and welfare of our community. We request this lighting to be included in the 2006 46th Ward Menu Money Projects.

Clarendon Avenue is a wide street with insufficient lighting and large gaps between existing light posts that only light the street. Improved street lighting is necessary on both sides of Clarendon Avenue, and pedestrian lighting is necessary to allow pedestrians to safely and securely navigate the sidewalks and streets. Improved street-pedestrian lighting will help minimize injuries from physical conditions in the sidewalks and crosswalks (e.g., defects, holes, failure to shovel snow/ice) and crimes such as assaults, muggings, robberies, and vandalism. Uptown pedestrians, especially the many seniors who live in this area, deserve to feel safe and secure while walking down Clarendon Avenue.

The hazard level for 4400 4800 North Clarendon Avenue is high for the following reasons:

1. There is a high level of traffic on this arterial street, which serves Clarendon Park, a large public park, Weiss Hospital, and a number of high rise buildings. In addition, there is a busy Cook County Department of Health one block west of Clarendon and Wilson Avenues, and there are two nearby public schools (Arai and Brenneman).
2. There are many pedestrians traveling Clarendon Avenue both residential and for the services set forth in paragraph 1 above.
3. Clarendon also is home to many seniors, who are often victims of assaults.
4. Due to foliage and trees, large gaps in street lighting, and darkened structures on Clarendon Avenue, special safety and security risks exist.

We, the undersigned residents of the Uptown Community in the 46th Ward living on or near Clarendon Avenue, support the installation of improved street lighting and pedestrian lighting on both sides of Clarendon Avenue between Montrose and Lawrence Avenues as necessary to ensure the safety and security of Uptown residents. We hereby request Alderman Shiller to pay for said pedestrian lighting from the discretionary Menu money allocated to the 46th Ward by the City of Chicago for calendar year 2006. We further request Alderman Shiller to direct the installation of said pedestrian lighting in 2006, preferably on or before April 30, 2006.