Folks dropping off their children in the morning at La Grange Highlands Elementary School may notice a greater police presence.
Problems with parking outside the school caught the attention of the Township of Lyons board and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department.
Lieutenant Frederick Nowaczyk addressed the issue regarding Laurel Avenue near the school during the board’s latest meeting held on Dec. 10.
“That was initiated by one of my sergeants based on complaints from citizens that it’s difficult to get down that street in the morning when parents are dropping off their kids because they’re parking on both sides,” he said.
“There’s no way you can get a fire truck down that street because they’re on both sides,” Nowaczyk added.
Pleasantview Fire Protection District Station One is on Plainfield Road, just west of the school.
“We spoke to the principal and advised him we’re going to start enforcing. … There’s no parking on either side of the street. … (Parents) weren’t happy about that but if it comes down to convenience and safety, we’re always going to err on the side of safety,” he said.
One option could be no parking on one side of the street, he said. Another is having , parents drop off students on the north side of the school, away from Laurel Avenue.
Township Highway Commissioner Sean McDermott, also the mayor of Countryside, said “it’s a real problem.”
“If we have snow, we can’t plow the street with cars on both sides. Even having them parking on one (side) may be problematic,” McDermott said.
In other news, Nowaczyk said the department is busy with premise checks each month, driving up and down streets, including the assigned checks of a specific address requested by township residents who may be out of town.
The number of traffic stops each month don’t match the number of tickets issued because deputies are instructed to give warnings if possible to motorists rather than write them up, Nowaczyk said.
“I encourage the officers, especially if (the drivers) are residents of unincorporated areas, to give them a warning ticket or a verbal warning unless it’s something like passing a stopped school bus or driving 20 over the (posted speed) limit. That’s our mindset,” he told the board.
The board’s next meeting is at 6 p.m. Jan. 14.