… that, having walked around the downtown area last week, TG has a few observations about dumpsters: First, the sidewalks of downtown Evanston are no place for dumpsters. Even Davis Street isn’t cool enough for shabby chic: Second, dumpsters should be closed to the public: Not an open invitation for vermin:
… that the City will contract work to replace bricks on the sidewalk on Clark Street between Sherman and Orrington.
… that the City has designated three additional street segments with honorary titles. Chicago Avenue between Lee and Greenleaf streets will be called “Joseph Levy Jr. Way”; Mr. Levy, long a benefactor of Evanston, owned several car dealerships there. Emerson Street between Oak and Maple Avenues, the site of the African American Emerson YMCA when Evanston and the country suffered segregation, will be designated with a sign “Emerson Branch YMCA.” “Jay Rogosich Way,” after the barber who has operated his shop there for decades, will be the block of Maple Avenue between Davis and Grove streets.
… that Northwestern University will donate $253,000 to the City, which will cover the entire cost of a new ambulance. It will be an advanced-life-support transport unit, with a power cot, power oxygen lift and a heart monitor/defibrillator. Fire Chief Greg Klaiber says the vehicle will go into frontline service this fall, as soon as the licensing process is completed.
… that the Department of Energy will award more than $175 million over the next few years “to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced vehicle technologies. The funding will support 40 projects across 15 states and will help improve the fuel efficiency of next-generation vehicles,” according to the DOE. Right now the research will focus on advanced fuels and lubricants; developing light-weight materials (to reduce the weight of vehicles without reducing safety); developing a light-weight multi-material prototype vehicle; developing “high-energy or high-power batteries for electric vehicles that should significantly exceed existing state-of-the-art technologies in terms of performance and/or cost;” developing the next generation of power inverters and electric motors; improving the efficiency of thermoelectric devices to convert engine waste heat to electricity; developing and demonstrating fuel efficient tire and driver feedback technologies; and conducting laboratory and field evaluations of advanced technology vehicles and related infrastructure, while developing new or modified test procedures. Remember, last month the President said that cars and light trucks should be able to get 54.5 miles per gallon by model year 2025.
The Traffic Guy thinks …
… that the stoplights on Golf Road at McDaniel and McCormick are messed up and out of sync. When drivers are traveling east on Golf, the light at McCormick turns red almost one minute before the light at McDaniel. As a result, during peak periods, cars are stopped at McCormick before they are stopped at McDaniel. Two lines of cars will often form on Golf Road stretching from McCormick back to McDaniel, and sometimes into the intersection. When the lights finally change at McDaniel, cars going south on McDaniel are blocked from turning left (east) onto Golf Road. Likewise cars traveling north on Prairie (which is what they call McDaniel on the south side of Golf) are blocked from turning right (east) on Golf Road. It’s a mess.
… that some, but only some, of the street repairs will be completed in time for school to start in a couple of weeks. Those men and women on Dodge
Avenue and elsewhere who worked through last month’s sweatbox ought to be commended.
… that summer isn’t over yet: There is one starlight concert left and then the City offers three weeks of free movies in the parks.