Manhattan Grapples with Route 52 Safety After Tragedy, Demands Action from IDOT

Manhattan Village Board Meeting | November 4, 2025

Article Summary: Following a recent tragedy, the Manhattan Village Board on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, held an extensive public discussion on the urgent need for safety improvements along U.S. Route 52, outlining past requests to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and committing to new engineering studies for downtown crosswalks.

Route 52 Safety Key Points:

• The Village Board reviewed a long history of requests to IDOT for safety measures, including speed reductions, truck restrictions, and intersection improvements.

• Following a recent fatal accident, the village is commissioning a new $16,000 engineering study for pedestrian safety improvements at Route 52 and North Street.

• Residents and board members expressed frustration with IDOT’s slow response times, with some citizens launching their own action groups to pressure state officials.

• The board heard a presentation on advanced crosswalk lighting technology designed to increase pedestrian visibility and prevent accidents.

MANHATTAN, IL – An emotional discussion about traffic safety dominated the Manhattan Village Board meeting on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, as trustees, staff, and residents grappled with solutions for the notoriously dangerous U.S. Route 52 following a recent community tragedy.

Mayor Mike Adrieansen began the discussion by acknowledging the community’s pain and outlining the village’s persistent, multi-year efforts to get the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to implement safety measures. “Motorist and pedestrian safety on Route 52 has obviously been a concern for myself and the board for many years,” Adrieansen said. “Now we have had a tragedy and I just want our community to do everything possible to avoid having another family go through loss and pain.”

Adrieansen detailed a timeline of requests to IDOT dating back to July 2020, which included submitting a traffic study with bypass options, requesting truck size-limit signs, updating truck maps to show Route 52 as restricted, and requesting speed reductions. He noted that IDOT has begun a phase-one engineering study for the area near Baker Road, but a proposal is likely a year away.

In response to the recent events, the village is taking immediate action on its own. Adrieansen announced plans to commission a new engineering study, at a cost of approximately $16,000, to prepare shovel-ready plans for safety improvements at the downtown intersection of Route 52 and North Street. Proposed improvements include a potential traffic signal or three-way stop, moving the stop sign closer to the intersection, adding flashing lights, and installing pavement markings to slow traffic.

“We can get this all prepared, engineered, and then go to IDOT and say this is what we need and this is what we want you to implement,” Adrieansen stated, adding that the village may fund the project itself if IDOT allows it.

The board also heard a presentation from a lighting specialist on advanced crosswalk lighting systems designed to dramatically increase pedestrian visibility. The technology uses offset, tightly focused beams to create a “positive contrast,” making individuals in the crosswalk four times brighter than the surrounding roadway, even if they are wearing dark clothing.

During public comment, resident Andrea Baumhardt highlighted the dangers at the intersection of Baker Road and Route 52. “It’s hard to see the traffic beyond those cars,” she said, advocating for a stop light and turn lanes. “It’s getting more and more dangerous to pull into our neighborhood.”

Adam Allers announced the formation of a new citizen action group, the Bike Walk Alliance of Manhattan, to organize public testimony and present a unified community voice to state and county officials.

Board members and staff expressed deep frustration with IDOT’s responsiveness. Police Chief Ryan Gulli said that while resident surveys are useful, immediate action is needed. “I think we need to get to work,” Gulli said. “We’ve already determined it’s dangerous. We don’t have much time to wait. I’m not happy right now with the lack of urgency behind IDOT.”

Trustee Bob Dilling, who worked for IDOT for 33 years, sympathized with the delays. “Working with IDOT is like dealing with cold molasses. It just doesn’t move quick,” Dilling said. “Everybody on this board and I think everybody in town wants to get things done and trying to get through IDOT… it’s a challenge.”