Safety Features Coming to Spot of Alex Fitzgerald's Crash

Permanent safety improvements to the road in front of Jack Hille Middle School come as soon as the holidays.

District 142 Superintendent Margaret Longo said this week temporary improvements, including signs, caution lights, crossing guards and other added personnel, will be in place before school starts later in August. The Cook County Department of Highways is installing the new measures.

“They want to get something up before the school year starts, which is really important for us,” Longo said.

The district has worked for years to get pedestrian improvements made to 151st Street. When was struck by a car on April 20—the second such crash involving a child in two years—the City of Oak Forest and the district redoubled their efforts to lobby for the safety improvements. Fitzgerald has since returned home from his extended hospital stay.

The permanent improvement will be traffic signals are triggered to stop traffic when they detect vehicles or people.

Longo said she anticipates that improvement to be in place around Thanksgiving.

The area near and around sees a signficant amount of foot and motor vehicle traffic, Longo said. The Southwest Cook County Cooperative for Special Education and the are near by.

"So, in that ... less than six blocks, we have all of this activity, all of the time," Longo said.

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