Winnetka residents demand safer Hibbard Road crossing

In the past few weeks alone Winnetka residents say they have witnessed a car narrowly miss a child and a driver strike a cyclist. These reported incidents have happened at the same intersection: Hibbard Road and Westmoor Trail/Westmoor Road.

A group of five like-minded Winnetka moms, concerned about the children who cross Hibbard Road to get to Hubbard Woods School daily, who have had enough with the close calls have launched the Hibbard to Hubbard Safety Alliance.

Through this initiative, they are calling on the Village of Winnetka to install a rectangular rapid flashing beacon at the intersection. The pedestrian-actuated traffic-control devices flash when activated. 

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, the beacons can reduce pedestrian crashes by up to 47% and increase motorist yield rates up to 98%.

The Hibbard to Hubbard Safety Alliance launched an online petition on Sept. 16 to rally support for the beacon installation. As of Oct. 7, the petition had garnered 628 signatures.

Safety Concerns

Winnetka resident Jessica Newell, one of the moms behind the Hibbard to Hubbard Safety Alliance, is a mother of three and dog-owner who frequently finds herself and her family crossing the intersection. 

Newell told The Record that she must physically place herself in the middle of the intersection with her arms outstretched to ensure cars stop and her children can cross safely. 

“I walk [my son] to the corner [in the morning], and I physically have to put myself in the street to stop cars so that he can ride his bike across, but I can’t do that in the afternoon,” Newell said. “So, I have to just rely on the fact that he now knows that cars have to come to a full stop on both sides before he crosses the street because, if somebody coming from the north stops but the people on the south don’t, he’s going to get hit potentially.”

Newell and fellow members of the safety alliance, along with neighbors who support the initiative, attended Winnetka’s Village Council Meeting on Oct. 6 to present their request to village trustees in person. 

Donning sweaters with “Hibbard to Hubbard” sewn on in cursive, Christine Heh and Heather Wojteczko took to the lectern first during the meeting’s public comment.

“The safety of this intersection is not a new concern,” Heh said. “Residents have been asking the Village and the police department for a safer crossing for years, even decades.”

Wojteczko went on to list a series of incidents at the intersection from the past few weeks alone.

“We have personally witnessed a cyclist struck at this intersection, a vehicle accident involving a Westmoor Trail neighbor, and a mother verbally assaulted by a driver for simply trying to point out the crosswalk in front of her children,” Wojtzeczko said. “Most personally, I watched my own 9-year-old daughter come within inches of being hit directly while crossing here. This is not simply about making a crosswalk more convenient. It is about making children more visible and community members safe.”

In 1981, Suzanne May Gerlits, a 9-year-old student at Sacred Heart School was struck and killed by a car at that same intersection. Through this safety initiative, Winnetkans are working to avoid another tragedy.

All three moms praised Winnetka officer Daniel Timmers for his efforts to help children cross the street safely during school dropoff and pickup times. They also shared their appreciation for the repair of the school zone flashing lights and addition of a temporary speed sensor but called for one more step to ensure community members’ safety.

“Now, we’ve been told in the past that cost is a concern,” Heh said. “That said, Winnetka has previously budgeted specifically for [beacon] installations, including a $5,000 allocation for [a beacon] in its 2024 budget. The village has already invested in this technology along Hibbard at Cherry, Pine and Spruce streets, so tonight we’re asking the Village Council to formally begin the process of installing [a beacon] at Westmoor Trail and Hibbard.”

Neighbor Tom Barron also spoke on Oct. 6, sharing that he crosses that intersection to walk his dogs approximately 20 to 25 times a week. He estimates 80% of cars do not stop and “buzz past” when he is standing at the crosswalk with his dogs.

Barron has firsthand experience with the dangers of the intersection. Approximately one year ago, he said he was crossing at that intersection when a car whizzed by, about one inch from hitting his knee. 

He also pointed out a current overgrowth of branches throughout Winnetka obstructing crosswalk and stop signs and asked the Village to consider taking down the branches.

Village Response

During the Oct. 6 meeting, Village President Robert Dearborn assured the speakers that their voices are being heard. 

His statement was echoed by Village Manager Kristin Kazenas.

“I did want to confirm that village staff are actively working on finding solutions to this problem, and we will be following up … with the designated leaders on what options we will have, likely on a short-term and then a more permanent basis to address this issue,” Kazenas said. “We do recognize it’s a priority.”

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.