Now, now we’re worried?
The huge proposed development at South Boulevard and Harlem Avenue may cause a spike in more congestion for commuters.
More congestion is putting it mildly. The 11-story mixed-use development will contain 260 rental apartments,10,000 square feet of retail space and a 398-space parking garage.
That will be added to the other development behemoth just across the tracks from the South Boulevard development that will house 271 apartments and more than 400 parking spaces in a new parking garage.
At a recent plan commission meeting, members said they were worried about the resulting congestion.
For some reason, plan commissioners seemed surprised that all this development would increase the already miserable traffic on Harlem Avenue, Pleasant Street, Marion Street, Maple Avenue and South Boulevard.
Now, the plan commission is trying to figure out how to minimize the serious problems all these building projects will create.
Instead of being the last issue addressed, shouldn’t the problems created by potential development be the first issue addressed?
Will development X create more problems than benefits?
Of course, the answer always is yes.
From the days of kings and emperors, leaders always want their kingdom to have grown during their reign.
Things are no different now in the days of village boards, village presidents and even mayors.
Build we must.
Development will make the town better. You know, better.
But sometimes, though, all this building, all this development has a negative impact on the quality of life for people who already live here.
You are an Oak Park resident. Let me ask you:
When you hear about all the congestion problems coming to the area near Harlem and Lake, does it make you want to avoid that area?
Should making residents avoid one of the village’s major shopping areas be a goal of development?
Well, maybe the plan commission and other Oak Park officials will solve the problems created by new developments.
Otherwise, it could be quite a mess.
Paul Sassone is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press.
