How Community Advocacy and Tragedy Are Shaping Safer Streets in Chicago
Chicago’s Southwest Side is seeing long-overdue safety upgrades along Pulaski Road after a series of heartbreaking pedestrian deaths. For residents of Archer Heights, West Elsdon, and nearby neighborhoods, Pulaski Road has always been a wide, fast-moving corridor that feels hostile to anyone on foot. After two devastating pedestrian fatalities in 2024, neighbors and local groups refused to accept more needless loss. Their efforts, combined with committed local leadership, have now led to the development of significant new safety infrastructure that could transform one of the city’s most dangerous streets.
At Keating Law Offices, we know the pain that follows when a loved one is hit by a car. As dedicated Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers, we have seen firsthand how traffic violence upends lives. That is why our award-winning attorneys also champion safer streets that prevent crashes in the first place. What is happening on Pulaski Road is more than a local story; it is an example of how tragedy, community organizing, and advocacy can come together to drive real change that saves lives.
Why Pulaski Road Became So Dangerous
Pulaski cuts a wide north-south path through Chicago’s Southwest Side, serving as a major artery for drivers and commercial traffic. In the stretch between 43rd and 59th Streets, it is a five-lane road that encourages high speeds due to the straight paths and wide lanes. There are homes, schools, businesses, and bus stops all along this corridor, forcing pedestrians to navigate wide crossings where speeding is common.
This combination of heavy vehicle flow, wide crossings, and frequent speeding has long put people on foot at risk. The tragic deaths of two pedestrians in early 2024 brought these dangers into painful focus. These losses were not isolated events. They were symptoms of a street designed almost entirely around moving cars quickly, not around protecting people.
For many residents, these tragedies were the last straw. They began working with local advocacy organizations like the Southwest Collective and the Active Transportation Alliance to demand real, permanent safety measures.
The Push for Change and How the Community Took the Lead
Community meetings became the catalyst for action. Local high school students at Curie Metro High even used their AP government class projects to advocate directly for safer streets. Their involvement gave the movement added power, putting human faces and stories behind the traffic statistics.
This growing local push led Ald. Jeylú Gutiérrez to collaborate closely with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Together, they developed a plan to replace temporary plastic posts with durable concrete medians, pedestrian refuge islands, curb extensions, and raised crosswalks. These improvements are designed to slow down drivers, shorten crossing distances, and give pedestrians safer places to wait if they cannot cross all at once.
According to Streetsblog Chicago, which Keating Law Offices proudly sponsors, Ald. Gutiérrez said these changes are not just about infrastructure. They are about restoring a sense of safety for families who live, work, and walk along Pulaski every day. As she told Streetsblog Chicago, residents were transparent about their fears and needs, and this project is a direct response to that input.
What the New Infrastructure Will Look Like
Phase One of this ambitious plan focuses on Pulaski between 43rd and 51st Streets, with construction potentially starting as early as this month. The upgrades include:
- Concrete pedestrian islands, allowing people to cross in two stages if needed and providing a safe midpoint to wait.
- Curb extensions, which physically narrow the road at intersections to force drivers to slow down.
- Raised crosswalks, making people walking more visible and encouraging drivers to reduce speed.
- Improved left turn lanes, which help organize traffic and reduce chaotic weaving.
All these features have been shown to significantly reduce both the likelihood and severity of crashes. While driver behavior will always be the core cause of crashes, these traffic calming measures can play a productive role in reducing the risk of crashes. In Chicago, the suburbs and cities across the country, the addition of physical traffic calming elements leads to lower speeds and more cautious driving.
How This Could Become a Model for Other Dangerous Streets
Residents and advocates hope Pulaski’s transformation can serve as a blueprint for tackling other wide, high-speed streets on the Southwest Side, such as Cicero, Central, and Archer Avenues. These roads share many of the same characteristics: multi-lane designs, frequent speeding, and inadequate pedestrian protections.
Dixon Galvez-Searle of the Southwest Collective noted that if this Pulaski overhaul is successful, it could encourage officials to make similar changes on dozens of other dangerous corridors. The ultimate goal is not only to prevent more tragedies on Pulaski but to build a safer network of streets throughout the city.
The Broader Impact of Slowing Cars to Protect Lives
Research consistently shows that slowing vehicle speeds is the single most effective way to save lives on urban streets. A pedestrian struck by a car traveling 20 mph has about a 90 percent chance of surviving. At 40 mph, that survival chance drops to less than 20 percent. The new concrete medians, narrower lanes, and raised crosswalks on Pulaski are specifically engineered to bring driver speeds down, making crashes less likely and far less deadly when they do occur.
Businesses along Pulaski also stand to benefit. Slower speeds and safer crossings mean more people will feel comfortable walking, which can boost foot traffic and strengthen local commerce.
Why Keating Law Offices Supports Efforts Like This
At Keating Law Offices, we have spent years fighting for the rights of injured pedestrians and cyclists. We know that after a crash, people need dedicated legal advocates to secure compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and long-term care. But we also believe the ultimate measure of success is preventing these tragedies from happening in the first place.
Attorney Michael Keating has been at the forefront of advancing laws that protect vulnerable road users in Illinois, including drafting the legislation that became Dennis’s Law, which confirmed that bicyclists have the same rights on Illinois roads as motorists. Supporting infrastructure that makes streets fundamentally safer is a natural extension of our commitment to protecting pedestrians and cyclists.
If You've Been Injured in a Pedestrian Accident, Count on Keating
While infrastructure upgrades are critical, they do not immediately stop all negligent driving. If you or someone you love has been hit while walking or biking in Chicago, it is important to know your legal rights. Drivers who fail to yield, speed through intersections, or ignore crosswalks can be held accountable for the harm they cause.
Our highly skilled legal team is here to help guide you through the process of seeking justice and compensation for your losses. We thoroughly investigate crashes, collaborate with experts to determine what may have contributed to the accident, and pursue maximum compensation so you can focus on your recovery. If you or someone you love was injured in a Chicago pedestrian accident, contact us online or give us a call at 833-CALL-KLO.
"I cannot recommend Keating Law and Michael Keating's team enough. They absolutely exceeded my expectations with their exceptional service and expertise in handling my case." — Phillip S., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
