CHICAGO — Drivers who've found a free perch on the expressway shoulders near O'Hare International Airport for a quick pickup might want to think twice. A new legislation, aimed at hitting the brakes on this common yet risky practice, is knocking on the governor's door, waiting to be signed into law. If passed, those caught parking on the shoulder could face a hefty $100 fine.
Support for the crackdown comes from both sides of the political aisle, with the "O’Hare Driver Safety Act" gliding through the Illinois House and Senate. It seeks to ban stops on the roadway shoulders within a half-mile radius of the airport, as the Daily Herald confirmed.
State Rep. Brad Stephens, R-Rosemont, a driving force behind the bill, described it as "a proactive measure to ensure motorist safety" noting the number of drivers parking on I-190 and I-90, crowding the airport's entry points and waiting instead of using the provided cellphone lots. "We can't station officers in these areas to address this safety issue as it's not an efficient use of manpower," Stephens told ABC7 Chicago. The plethora of cameras soon to be installed by the Illinois Tollway Authority could serve as electronic enforcers to keep the shoulders clear.
O'Hare, no stranger to congestion, reportedly has amenities like a free cellphone lot, and a Kiss n' Fly location that is meant to provide safer alternatives to waiting on expressway shoulders — highlighted by both the Daily Herald and ABC7 Chicago. In a chilling example, Stephens conveyed the danger of the current situation, "The windows get fogged up. Junior sends a text saying ‘I’m waiting at this door.’ They jut out and get smeared by a semi," he said, in a statement issued to the Daily Herald reflecting the urgent need for action.
With the bill in Gov. J.B. Pritzker's court, the overwhelming support it's seen suggests it could be a game-changer for the safety of the bustling airport environment. Lawmakers from various regions, including rural and suburban areas, found common ground on this issue, Senator Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, cited frequent sightings of vehicles idling on the shoulders as a pressing concern. "They should be in the cellphone lot or somewhere else but instead they’re on the shoulders," Harmon expressed at a recent hearing, as recounted by the Daily Herald. It appears that for now, the race against potential tragedy is on, with technology and fines positioning themselves as the first line of defense.
