Illinois DOT fails to see humor in Oak Lawn's quirky stop-sign campaign
State agency cites federal regulations in ordering halt to anti-speeding messages

Oak Lawn officials were hoping extra messages on stop signs would get more drivers to heed the signs. (Tribune photo by Scott Strazzante / September 28, 2007)

Story repringted from Chicago Tribune
by Lolly Bowean, Tribune reporter
12:22 AM EDT, May 1, 2008

The snide and comical remarks in octagonal shapes under stop signs in Oak Lawn were supposed to be a funny way to get motorists to halt and pay attention instead of flying through intersections, Mayor Dave Heilmann said.But some seven months after the signs went up, the laughter has stopped.

Heilmann had to remove the signs after the Illinois Department of Transportation determined they violate the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, he said. If he didn't, the village risked losing federally funded projects, IDOT officials said in a letter." I thought that was a very harsh response to an effort to promote safety," Heilmann said. "I truly believe the signs were making an impact. They were around schools and heavily trafficked areas. The community loved them, and we heard from all over the country about how thinking outside the box was a good way to reinforce the message that people need to stop."

Heilmann launched his public safety campaign to cut down on speeding through stop signs in September. He added slogans such as "and smell the roses" and "means that you aren't moving" to 50 stop signs. At the time, Heilmann said he thought the remarks would get motorists to pause, if for nothing else, to read the phrases. He was sure the quirky signs would help, but residents who had complained for years about drivers not obeying signs had mixed opinions.

There are no statistics on how many drivers fail to stop in Oak Lawn. And though police officers sometimes monitor troublesome intersections, they can't watch them at all times to enforce safety laws, Heilmann said.

When he got the letter from IDOT on April 17, he ordered the signs removed." I don't want to fight with anybody," he said. "I wanted to send a good message and have a good public safety campaign." Still, Heilmann said he was disappointed that he had to junk $1,700 worth of signs." I think government needs to take itself less seriously," he said. "We have to take the work seriously, but it's OK to smile and to be creative in enforcing a serious message."

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