‘Consider this your fair warning’ – Yorkville police targeting downtown morning rush hour speeders

Following a traffic study conducted to reduce speeding through the downtown area, the Yorkville Police Department is warning commuters not to make their morning rush hour so rushed.

During the morning commute hours of 5 to 8 a.m. the police are increasing enforcement of traffic violations along Illinois Route 47 in the downtown area. Drivers can expect to see a heavier police presence.

The speed study conducted by the department found a high number of drivers cruise in excess speeds during the morning hours. An earlier study conducted last year found 86% of vehicles traveling through the downtown area throughout the day drive at least seven miles per hour about the 30 mph zone.

“Consider this your fair warning,” the Yorkville Police Department stated in a post. “We would much rather have compliance rather than citations. Leave a few minutes early, ease off the gas, summer is meant for cruising, but not racing. Help us keep the roads safe for everyone starting their day.”

Over a three week period last December, a police study recorded 9,900 vehicles traveling 11-15 mph over the speed limit through the downtown area. Another 1,773 vehicles cruised at 16 mph or more over the limit.

The department has made increasing safety in the downtown area a chief priority.

Over the years, the downtown area has widened its streets to accommodate more travelers both passing through and stopping at the increasing number of downtown restaurants and businesses.

Reducing speed through the downtown is crucial because Yorkville does not currently have an automated crosswalk in the popular crossing area of the downtown near Fox Republic Brewing Co.

During the city’s Margaritas en Mayo event in May, several attendees remarked how difficult it was crossing the street.

The police department’s increase in patrols during the morning commute follows the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office’s campaign to crack down on speeders across the county throughout July.

Through the end of the month, drivers will experience a heightened number of police cars targeting speeders and a stricter enforcement of traffic violations.