A Safer Homewood Starts With All of Us

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Contact: info@connecthomewood.org

We are a village-wide movement to make every street safer for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and families. Join your neighbors in building a safer, more connected Homewood.

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FAQ: The 183rd Street 4-to-3 Lane Conversion (Road Diet)

What Changes?

Converting 183rd Street from four travel lanes to three:

  • Two lanes for driving
  • A center lane for turns

This approach, called a road diet, is used across the country to cut crashes, calm traffic, and improve overall flow.

Why It Matters

Checkmark Reduces crashes and speeding

Checkmark Makes turning easier and safer

Checkmark Keeps traffic flowing smoothly

Checkmark Safer for walkers, bikers & drivers

What’s Been Done So Far

Checkmark Since 2020, the Village of Homewood has:

Checkmark Studied 183rd Street safety improvements

Checkmark Collected community input

Checkmark Found that a 4-to-3 “road diet” is the most effective solution

Checkmark Received a grant to fund the project

Common Questions

Common questions about the proposal to convert 183rd Street from four travel lanes to three (a “road diet”): one lane in each direction plus a center turn lane.

What is a “road diet”?

A road diet is when a street is redesigned from four lanes to three: two travel lanes plus a center turn lane. This proven design reduces crashes, calms traffic, and makes streets safer for everyone.

Will this make traffic worse?

No. Studies show that a 4-to-3 conversion keeps traffic flowing smoothly. Most drivers notice little to no change in travel time — but they do notice fewer sudden lane changes and safer turns.

Why is this needed on 183rd Street?

183rd has a high crash rate and speeding issues. The road diet improves safety, reduces collisions, and makes the street more comfortable for drivers, walkers, and bikers.

How does the center turn lane help?

Instead of blocking a travel lane while waiting to turn left, drivers can move into the center lane. This reduces rear-end crashes and keeps through traffic moving.

Will this hurt businesses along 183rd?

Actually, safer, calmer streets can help local businesses by improving access and making the area more inviting for customers traveling by car, bike, or on foot.

Won’t removing travel lanes on 183rd Street just divert traffic onto other local streets?

No. The Village measured traffic volumes and speeds on 187th Street and Ridge Road during their road diet test in 2022 and found no significant increases. Since 4-to-3 conversions keep traffic flowing, this is typical for road diets in our area and nationwide.

Who’s paying for this project?

The Village of Homewood secured a grant to fund the project.

Has this worked in other communities?

Yes! Cities and towns across the U.S. have implemented road diets with great success — reducing crashes by 19–47% according to the Federal Highway Administration. The Village of Lansing saw traffic crashes drop almost 50% after converting Ridge Road west of Torrence Ave. from 4 lanes to 3. The conversion was so successful they’ve converted Wentworth Avenue as well.

What It Means For You

A safer, calmer, and more welcoming 183rd Street that benefits everyone in our community.

  • Families get slower, calmer traffic in the neighborhood.
  • Commuters get a center lane for left turns and fewer sudden lane changes, with little to no change in travel time.
  • Pedestrians have fewer travel lanes to cross.
  • Cyclists get a calmer street to ride on.

How can I get involved?

Take The Survey

Sign the Petition

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Join the Initiative

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Donate to Print Yard Signs

Print Flyers to Share

How Dangerous is 183rd Street?

Filter Crashes by Year

*** The Homewood Police Department (HPD) lists every crash its officers respond to, while IDOT’s data generally only includes crashes with an injury or more than $1,500 in damage (state reporting rules), so HPD’s counts run higher.

In the News

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Resources & Research

Want to learn more about why this works? Explore national and local research: