Donations to put a new traffic signal at the intersection of East Burdick St. (Lakeville Road) and Glaspie (North Oxford Road) are being solicited by the Oxford Township Supervisor and Oxford Village President.
“Because of the existing and continued development in the northeast quadrant of Oxford Township, and the increased traffic from your development, the intersection of Burdick St. and North Oxford Road will require a traffic signal. On behalf of the Township and Village of Oxford, we are requesting contributions for developers and public schools in the area to help defray the cost of this traffic signal,” wrote Supervisor Bill Dunn and Village President Steve Allen in a Feb. 20 letter to some local developers and the Oxford school district.
So far, Waterstone developer Real Estate Investment Group, Inc. has pledged $20,000 and Christopher Investment Company, Inc. (developer of Lake Villa Manufactured Home Park On Lakeville Road.) has donated $5,000 toward the signal, which Dunn estimated will cost between $50,000 and $60,000.
Two village streets, West Burdick and Glaspie, converge at this intersection, however, each of these streets continues through the township under different names. West Burdick becomes Lakville Road in the township while Glaspie becomes North Oxford Road.
Traffic at the intersection is currently regulated by a four-way stop, which officials say is inadequate to handle the increasing traffic volume passing through there on a daily basis.
“You already have a ton of traffic passing through that intersection from the middle school, high school, and (Lakeville) elementary school plus Oxford Lakes and Lake Villa,” Dunn said. “Now you’re going to have even more traffic coming from the Willow Lake subdivision they’re building and the Terraces at Waterstone condos they’re planning.”
The combined 212-unit Hills and Shores of Willow Lake subdivisions, which are currently under construction, will have access points to both Lakeville Road and North Oxford Road. If plans are approved, the 432-unit Terraces at Waterstone will be built on North Oxford Road with access to it.
Oxford Village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski said the volume of traffic that passes through the intersection at “certain hours of the day” ? such as the “morning rush” or when high school and middle school classes are dismissed in the afternoon ? leads to “quite a bit of a backup.” Neymanowski said he definitely sees a “need” for a traffic signal there.
Dunn said Oxford Assistant Superintendent Ron Franey agreed to propose a resolution to the school board whereby the district would “match” whatever the township contributes to the new signal “up to $7,500.”
“(Franey) said he was going to put in on the next meeting agenda for a board vote,” the supervisor said.
Dunn said he and Allen also sent letters to Willow Lake developer Mark Hubbard and Oxford Lakes developer Marlene Taube seeking contributions from them as well.
“I hope they will be as generous as their neighbors were,” Dunn said. “This is something the community needs. This is a chance for developers to give back to the community they’ve profited from and help offset their development’s impact on our roads.”
Dunn and Allen said the difference between the signal’s cost and the amount of donations collected will most likely be made up by their respective governments, however, both officials noted they can’t speak for their boards. Any municipal expenditures toward the signal would have to be voted on by the township board and village council.
Because the intersection is located within the village and involves two village streets, the decision to place a traffic signal there is entirely up to the council.
Allen said there’s “almost unanimous acceptance” on the council for putting a traffic signal there.