Lowell Park, Pines roads intersection gets rumble strips

POLO — Temporary rumble strips have been installed on Lowell Park Road at its intersection with Pines Road.

More than 20 crashes have occurred at the intersection since 2009.

In a previous interview, Ogle County Engineer Jeremy Ciesiel said there are plans to install permanent rumble strips as part of the 2023 construction season.

“The cooperation of the property owners [near the intersection] by signing a petition made the process at lot easier to do,” Ciesiel said. “There was the concern about the proximity of the residents [to the rumble strips], but when they were in favor of it, we were able to move forward with it.”

From Jan. 1, 2009, to April 30 of this year, 21 crashes have occurred at the intersection located in rural Polo, according to a traffic study conducted by Ciesiel. Sixteen of them involved drivers on Lowell Park Road who either did not obey the stop signs, or failed to yield to traffic on Pines Road after stopping.

The temporary rumble strips cost about $4,000, Ciesiel said. He expects the permanent rumble strips to cost $24,000 to $25,000, based on previous projects’ costs.

These temporary rumble strips will “be an experiment” because of the length of time they’re looking to keep them in place, Ciesiel said.

“To be honest, we’ve never had them up for more than a couple months,” he said. “I’m not sure how well it will hold up. I got a variety different than what we’ve had on previous projects in the hope we can keep them in place over the winter, but I’m not sure what a snow plow will do to them.”