Rockford mayor to launch new task force focused on pedestrian safety, reducing traffic fatalities

Announcement was part of wide-ranging speech before Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Mayor Tom McNamara said Thursday that he’ll be creating a new task force focused on pedestrian safety and reducing the number of traffic fatalities in the city.

The mayor announced that initiative during his keynote address before the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce at its luncheon at the Illinois Bank & Trust Pavilion. The task force is being created in response pedestrian deaths on city roadways, including four so far this year.

“In the last five years in the city of Rockford, we have averaged six pedestrian deaths each year, including 12 pedestrian deaths in 2021. We already have four pedestrian deaths this year,” McNamara told the sold out crowd of 240 gathered for the luncheon. “Since 2010, we have also averaged 16 traffic fatalities each year. … That’s 22 lives on average that we are losing, that I would argue, in large part, are preventable losses.”

The task force will be charged with finding ways to reduce fatalities with an ultimate goal of zero, he said.

“If it was 22 murders we would be talking about it every, single day. A lot of these are ones where I believe we really can make a difference and impact,” McNamara said. “Yes, we ultimately want to get to zero, but we know that 22 just cannot be acceptable to our community.”

McNamara said the task force will be made up of traffic engineers, city and school officials and residents who walk and bike throughout the community or use the bus system. They’ll be given up to 90 days to bring recommendations to the city forward.

“I want them to give really concrete — five to 10 items — what can we do,” McNamara told the Rock River Current in a separate interview. “I think it needs to be, really, a holistic look. I think some of it has to be education. Some of it has to be infrastructure changes, and some of it just has to be better marketing and awareness to residents.”

Angela Kay Larson, CEO of the Greater Rockford Chamber, said public safety is important to business leaders and she was glad to hear the new task force announced as part of safety efforts.

“A safe place to live is really critical to the current businesses, but especially to not only to businesses that are looking to move here but to talent that’s being recruited here,” she said. “When you think of the number engineers, doctors, nurses, school administrators, teachers — all of those people who might have an opportunity to live in Rockford — the first thing you’re going to do is go on your favorite web browser and search Rockford, Illinois. If crime stats come up really high, that’s a red flag.”

‘Move forward, together’

McNamara’s speech comes a little more than three weeks after winning his third term in office. He gathered nearly 79% of the vote for the highest percentage margin of victory on records going back 45 years. It was also historically low voter turnout at 19.5%.

“The overwhelming support in this recent election sends a powerful signal — residents are happy with the direction we’re heading and they want us to continue to move forward, together,” McNamara said.

His half-hour address touched on public safety, education, economic development, neighborhood improvement and the city budget. He also gave a brief reference to the short-lived controversy last month over the city’s welcome sign, saying residents made their voices heard “defending what should be a simple truth — that Rockford – All Are Welcome.”

Many of the points mirrored what you heard from the mayor on the campaign trail: A multi-pronged approach to public safety that involves investing in police technology, hiring more officers and providing prevention initiatives such as a summer workforce development program and a healing center to help victims of violent crime. He also touted the growing number of Rockford Promise scholars attending Northern Illinois University tuition free and the upcoming fall launch of Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois’ Excel Center to provide a free high school diploma program for adults.

Road work ahead

This summer, the city will take on more than $96 million worth of road work as part of the largest five-year capital plan in Rockford history.

“Rockfordians have complained for years about the roads. I don’t want to hear anyone complaining about construction of the roads,” McNamara joked.

“Roads that have been long neglected will now be reconstructed. You’re looking at roads like Walnut Street, Chestnut, Whitman, 11th Street — those will now be reconstructed,” McNamara said. “Our neighborhoods will be seeing nearly double the amount of money that goes to their infrastructure in each and every one of our neighborhoods.

“This summer, you will see more than 490 unique construction projects taking place in the city of Rockford. They will take place in every quadrant and nearly every neighborhood will see improved infrastructure.”

1,700 housing units

The mayor also touted the extension of a three-year property tax rebate program for home construction, something that last year spurred the highest number of home building permits in the city since the Great Recession.

“In the last 30 months, our City Council has seen and approved more than 1,700 residential units. These are units that have already been constructed, or are being planned or are in some process of being constructed,” McNamara said. “It’s no wonder to me that multiple news outlets have declared Rockford to have incredibly hot housing.”

Larson said housing is one of the biggest issues the business community faces.

“The identification of the need for 6,000 to 9,000 houses,” she said. “That’s another important element of being able to support business growth — people have to have a place to live.”

Business spotlight

The mayor also put a spotlight on several businesses growing in the city, including PCI Pharma Services’ new Rockford Biologics Center on Linden Road, which is expected to be completed later this year and support up to 500 jobs in the future.

He also highlighted Hard Rock Casino Rockford, the Chicago-Rockford International Airport, the Colman Yards development in south Rockford and Kadon Precision Machining, which McNamara said has grown exponentially since Justin Franklin took over the company in 2016.

“When he purchased that business it was doing about $7 million in sales and had about 50 employees,” the mayor said. “Today, his business does $25 million in sales and has 130 employees. And, Justin has already hired an additional 20 people this year and has plans to double his size of his company by 2030.”

McNamara also said Zach Meiborg of Meiborg Companies, a local trucking and logistics company, is another standout for growth.

“Back in 2017, they had about 100 employees and $20 million in sales,” McNamara said. “Fast forward to today, they’re on track to hit $110 million in sales and 600 employees. That’s a remarkable 450% increase and a major win not just for Meiborg but for their employees and our entire community.”

The mayor also noted the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s first business sentiment survey, which showed 45% of companies plan to hire more staff in the coming year.

“Businesses are feeling our progress and the positivity that’s taking place. Rockford is seeing major economic momentum — more projects, more jobs, and more opportunities for Rockford residents,” he said. “So moving forward, I just ask that we continue to support our local businesses because that success will breed future success.”

McNamara, while touting the city’s improved budget situation since he took office, said there is a threat for programs such as Head Start if the federal government cuts funding. He said if that happens those programs can’t be supported by the city alone and will be eliminated.

He ended his speech by thanking voters for placing their trust in him to continue leading the city.

“I’m eager to continue the progress that we have seen, but we are going to continue that progress with the same heart, the same determination, and the same unity that got us here,” he said. “Let’s keep showing the region, let’s keep showing the country, exactly who Rockford really is.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas