No left turns: IDOT, Ottawa assess East Norris Drive and Paul Street intersection

Those traveling through one of the busiest intersections in La Salle County will want to keep an eye out for newly posted signs.

A problematic intersection at East Norris Drive and Paul Street in Ottawa is undergoing a traffic study by the Illinois Department of Transportation with the addition of turning restrictions in an effort to reduce large U-turns or a traffic build-up if a vehicle attempts to cross without a turning lane.

IDOT Traffic Engineer Tom Schaefer said city officials met with IDOT and shared concerns about accidents at the intersection, particularly from those taking a left onto Paul Street when traveling eastbound on East Norris Drive — or those taking left turns off of Paul Street onto East Norris Drive. Both of those options are now no longer allowed through the placement of new signs.

It’s an issue Plan Commission Chairman Brent Barron is familiar with and has discussed at meetings in the past.

“It’s not the best intersection and it’s not the worst, but it’s the most traveled through and IDOT is trying to make it safer,” Barron said.

“If you’re going east on Norris Drive, you’re dodging cars coming over the drive-through by McDonald’s trying to go the other way,” he added.

Barron notes not all drivers coming out of McDonald’s attempt the dangerous maneuver, but he’s noticed in the past and continues to notice it since the signs have gone up in the past few days.

Police Chief Brent Roalson said the police department has been educating drivers when they've been caught performing the illegal maneuver, but in a couple of weeks they'll be enforcing with citations.

Roalson said it's a good first step but he thinks closing off the intersection by extending the median will reduce the confusion among drivers.

And traffic in the area will increase with the addition of Ottawa’s forthcoming new Domino's at 200 E. Norris Drive.

Schaefer said the department has studied traffic in the area for about a month before putting up the signs. Schaefer didn’t have an approximate number of accidents but noted the accidents in the area increased between 7 and 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 3 and 6 p.m.

While two months' time isn’t a perfect indicator for tracking accidents, Schaefer said it should give engineers a good idea of whether it deters dangerous driving maneuvers as they’ve previously done at the Joliet and Columbus streets.

If that doesn’t work and the city wants to continue finding ways to deter these maneuvers, Schaefer said IDOT could extend the median, making the turn impossible once U.S. 6 is resurfaced in the spring.

Commissioner of Public Improvements Marla Rodriguez said she hasn’t heard much from the public about the danger of the specific intersection but she has heard concern from residents about the traffic out of CVS Pharmacy.

Rodriguez said she plans to reserve her judgment on the intersection until after IDOT has completed their test and can provide information following the study.

Barron recalled the original plan for McDonald’s had its main entrance off of Paul Street, which could have reduced the U-turns on East Norris Drive, but the plan had changed and the business was advised it could add to an already congested traffic situation.

He noted the turning restrictions may affect businesses by becoming more complicated for customers, especially those from out of town, but many will find the route that works best for them.

“Hopefully the people in the community get it. We understand you want convenience, speed, you want to get to where you’re going and that’s the easier move to make, but in the long run, if you take a couple extra minutes and go the long way around you make everyone safe and everyone gets to where they’re going at the end of the day, then that’s what’s important."