1) Multiple people have been mugged and assaulted walking on Balmoral just east of Broadway near the El tracks just west of Winthrop. One victim was attacked in broad daylight around 2pm. Be careful anytime you're walking on this stretch of Balmoral - there is little foot and car traffic or businesses in this area. If you see anyone suspicious call 911.
2) Crossing the intersection at Balmoral and Broadway can be as difficult as crossing a street in the game Frogger. Cars speed along Broadway and rarely yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk as they are supposed to do. Recently at least one person was injured when he was struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross the street. The EBNA neighborhood block club is exploring possible improvements to this intersection for pedestrians, including a stop sign or light.
15 comments:
More section 8 housing please! Does wonders for a neighborhood. Change we all can believe in.
I agree - this intersection could certainly use a stop sign or light. As a driver, even making a right-hand turn onto Broadway is tricky (facing east on Balmoral) because of the limited left-facing sight line.
The Glenlake/Broadway intersection at Dominicks a few blocks north was also a hotbed of car/pedestrian and T-bone collisions until a stop light and crosswalk were installed about a year ago.
Ugh! Not good. Great, this is my route to Jewel. And now with Dominicks closed, I will be walking this way a lot more in the next year. I'm always vigilant when walking under the Red line viaduct there. The alley along the East side of the embankment is the perfect hiding place for someone to be and get you right as you come out walking East. And yes, its a quiet area, very little car and pedestrian traffic. If the new bar goes in on the corner at Broadway, it would help liven the area up a bit.
I would LOVE to have a stoplight at Balmoral. It is awful crossing Broadway there. I've been asking for years why there hasn't been consideration for putting a median in on Broadway like Ashland. Its an ugly street, with traffic moving way too fast. It would help calm traffic and the vegetation and trees would greatly improve how the corridor looks. The medians would also provide a safety island for pedestrians crossing at unsignaled intersections as well.
My neighbor got robbed right there in front of the auto repair shop about a year ago. I'm definitely careful when passing through this area. Also, I NEVER cut through the Dominick's loading area. It's the perfect place for someone to hide and jump out at you.
By the way, I don't think this has anything to do with section 8 housing. Section 8 housing does not equal criminals.
section 8 housing definitely means criminals. i wish it wasn't true, but it certainly is!
Really? EVERY section 8 resident in the country is a criminal? Every single one? Why aren't they ALL in jail?
That's our route to and from Jewel also. Tough to defend yourself if you've got a few grocery bags in each hand!
The house on the NE corner of Winthrop and Balmoral always seems to have shady characters hanging around. I wouldn't be surprised if the muggings were related to drug activity in the area. Cameras and more police surveillance would be helpful.
section 8 housing definitely means criminals. i wish it wasn't true, but it certainly is!
wow. Just...wow. Well, I guess the answer is simple: destroy section 8 housing and throw everyone in them on the streets. That will surely discourage them from committing criminal acts.
Regarding the house on the NE corner of Winthrop and Balmoral. I assume you're referring to the young men who hang out on the front porch. Don't judge a book by it's cover. There's nothing shady about those guys. They're nice young men. I've lived down the block from there for a few years. They always say hello and if they're playing football in the street when I walk by with my son, they always stop to let us walk by. There is one belligerent alcoholic living there, but he's generally only a danger to himself.
wow. Just...wow. Well, I guess the answer is simple: throw the belligerent alcoholics in the streets.
I disagree with the characterization of the guys at Winthrop and Balmoral as shady. I've lived at Balmoral and Kenmore for 2 and a half years and these guys have never been anything but polite to me. In fact, I think if they were out there all the time it might deter some of these muggings on Balmoral. I guess I've been lucky because this post is the first I've heard about these crimes. I walk here almost daily and have never felt threatened, much less mugged.
Regarding EBNA exploring options for a stop sign / light at Balmoral and Broadway...YES, YES, YES! I'm surprised no one mentioned that there is a play lot on the corner as well. I have had great difficulty crossing with my toddler on a number of occassions. This is such a dangerous crossing. Autos consistently speed down Broadway and there have been a number of times when I've seen caregivers with strollers stuck in the middle of the crossing. It's just a matter of time before someone is hurt.
This intersection is exactly like frogger. I walk it, W. Balmormal to Broadway, every morning on my way to the el. One morning I did get hit by a car turning right to head south on Broadway... Although I had no serious injuries, I still could not believe the driver did not see me since I was standing on the corner right next to the car!!
If you're going to the El, it would make more sense to cross at Berwyn with the light. Some days I walk to the 147 at Balmoral and Sheridan and this is a dangerous intersection.
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