Missing signs could kill |
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Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
July 25, 2011
This morning's Northwest Herald reports that a vandalism spree in the Harvard area could result in some nasty crashes and possible fatalities. What's going on?
Vandals are removing and knocking down stop signs and stop-sign warning signs in Dunham Township. David Nolan, Dunham Township Road Commissioner, is fed up. And you should be, too.
Imagine busting down a rural road and approaching an intersection without a sign. You assume (careful about that) that cross-traffic has a stop sign. There are few, if any, completely unprotected intersections in McHenry County. So you don't slow down, or you slow down just a little.
And either you nail a car broadside, or you get broad-sided!
Where has this occurred (so far)?
Bunker Hill and Busse Roads
Marengo Road and Heritage Lane
Tomlin and Root Roads
and there may be other intersections that weren't mentioned in the article.
Where is Crime Stoppers for McHenry County (CSMC)? Why isn't it offering a reward for arrest of the jerks pulling these stunts?
CSMC hauled in over $50,000 in just three years from the McHenry County Circuit Court, and it paid out only $3,400 for 12 tips in 2009. It must be sitting on a pile of money, and I've spent more than a year trying to find out how much CSMC paid out in 2010 and in 2008.
You'd think I was trying to crack the code for the black budget in the U.S. Department of Defense! Will CSMC wait until someone is killed and then offer a Reward?
If you see an intersection in Dunham County that used to have signs and doesn't (or ought to have signs), call Commissioner Nolan immediately at 815.943.5751
And if you see someone stealing or driving over a signpost or sign, immediately call the Sheriff's Department at 815.338.2144. You might even just call 9-1-1, since an unguarded intersection instantly becomes a dangerous road condition. If you see an unguarded intersection in the middle of the night, report it and request a deputy to respond and erect a temporary stop sign.
If they don't have them, a dispatcher or deputy should call the Road Commissioner on his after-hours phone and get him out of bed to take a temporary sign to the intersection. A little lost sleep is much better than a funeral three days later.