Portion of Bunker Hill Drive Turning into School Speed Zone

In the next week or so, drivers should expect to see a speed limit reduction near .

Last month, the Village Board passed an ordinance changing the speed limit on portions of Bunker Hill Drive from 30 mph to 20 mph when school is in session. The new school speed zone covers 0.3 miles between Sherman Road west to Stonegate Road.

The ordinance change came about as a proposal from the , which is a teen safe-driving program at , according to minutes from the Dec. 13, 2011 committee of the whole meeting.

Algonquin Police Chief Russell Laine reported at the meeting that said there has been an increase in the number of students using the crosswalk due to a change in traffic patterns at the high school.

The normal speed limit for this section of the roadway is 30 mph, but is now 20 mph on school days when children are present, Algonquin police Sgt. Jeff Sutrick, traffic unit supervisor, wrote in an email. The first offense carries a minimum fine of $150, plus a $50 surcharge paid to the school district. A second or subsequent offense carries a minimum fine of $300. The maximum fine is $1,000. 

Sutrick said that speeding in a school speed zone also is a must-appear citation, meaning that anyone who receives a ticket must appear in court and if found guilty will incur additional court costs.

It is also illegal to use cellphones in school speed zones or construction zones, not just texting. This violation and the texting violation both are a minimum of $120 fine with a maximum of $1,000, Sutrick said.

Laine said the signs would be changed in the coming weeks to indicate the area’s newly established school zone.