Traffic sign needed on South Street

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
May 26, 2010

As I drove into Woodstock on South Street from the west last week, I again wondered about the drop in speed limit from 55MPH to 40MPH and the lack of a sign to warn motorists of a speed limit reduction of more than 10MPH. (To enlarge the image, click on it; then click on the Back button on your browser to come back here.)

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As you approach Woodstock from the west, the roadway is in McHenry County (Seneca Township), and the speed limit is 55MPH (unposted). When you reach the west city limit of Woodstock, you are greeted by a 40MPH speed limit sign.

What's missing? There should be a sign that informs a driver of the lower speed limit. The correct sign would be a yellow diagonal warning sign with a black arrow at the top and a smaller regulatory speed limit sign with the speed limit (40MPH).

Woodstock resisted my suggestions for this sign, when the City Council approved the change in speed limit from 45MPH to 40MPH to satisfy a resident's request. Before the speed limit was changed, no advance warning was needed, because the speed limit dropped only 10MPH.

An IDOT engineer had previously educated me about the need for this type of sign, and this week the McHenry County Dept. of Transportation confirmed my understanding. They will contact Seneca Township about installing such a sign, since the roadway location for the warning sign is in that township. Too bad that Seneca Township might get stuck with the cost of the sign and installation.

Seneca Township should bill the City of Woodstock, and the City should pay the bill without question or delay.