Randall Road - Safety

Safety

Randall Road remains unique, due to its speed limit and amount of reckless driving. When rural roads are widened and built up, the speed limits are typically lowered. Sections of the road have speed limits of 45 or 50 mph (72 or 80 km/h). Because of the high speed limit and high traffic volume, Randall Road has a lot of car accidents, many of them fatal. For example, Algonquin reports that at least 50% of traffic accidents within its boundaries occur on Randall Road. In addition, the intersection of Randall and Huntley Roads was the most dangerous intersection in Illinois in 2006, with 90 crashes reported there that year. In 2007, despite signal improvements, the number increased to 101 crashes. The intersection of Randall & McHenry Avenues ranked 8th, with 67 crashes.

In July 2006, municipal policing bodies with jurisdictions on Randall Road teamed up together to tackle hazardous driving and improve safety on the road. The program aimed to increase awareness, promote safety, and go after aggressive drivers, speeders, and those who run red lights. In an eight-hour period, more than 400 citations were given up and down the road.

Several municipalities, such as Algonquin and Lake in the Hills, have also begun installing red-light cameras which take photographs of vehicles that run red lights, and then issue the owner a speeding ticket in the mail. This initiative aims to curb reckless driving behaviors, particularly the tendency of high-speed traffic to run red lights, which poses significant danger and also causes delays.

Pedestrian safety is also an issue, and with the lack of sidewalks and safe crossings, several municipalities are working to create safer crossings. Algonquin has contemplated constructing a pedestrian bridge or tunnel at one or more intersections, or perhaps making signal improvements. South Elgin has already constructed a pedestrian bridge near Silver Glen Road.