Rockford's Veterans Memorial Circle at roundabout damaged once again after car crash
A 2019 roadway beautification project that was supposed to be a lasting tribute to veterans is instead an annual reminder that drivers are still having trouble navigating the Auburn and Main streets roundabout.
The latest Veterans Memorial Circle accident occurred about 2:45 a.m. Sunday, the day before Memorial Day, when an eastbound driver jumped the circular curb, plowed through the flower bed and toppled over a corner of the low-rise square brick wall, the centerpiece of the intersection.
"Bad motorists here are really overachievers," said Helen Redfern, co-chair of Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle.
More: Your turn: Why are Rockfordians struggling to drive correctly in a roundabout?
The Rockford Police Department believes speed was a factor in the crash, which came to no surprise to Redfern. She also said this is not the first time corners of the wall have been taken out by speeding motorists. The intersection was the site of 45 collisions last year.
"That's almost one a week," said Redfern, who would like to see city and state officials conduct a "safety audit" to get a better understanding of what is causing the accidents and how to prevent them from occurring.
Collisions in the roundabout occur so frequently, Redfern said "four major re-plantings" are done each summer.
"Our very first summer at the north median where there are about five or six (flower) beds total, someone hit the first bed, flew over the next three and landed at the end. So, people are flying as they go through it and fly as they leave," she said.
"We've actually said we could build a vehicle from all the leftover vehicle parts that we find as we're watering and weeding."
Redfern said the city of Rockford contacted the Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle on Tuesday to inform the group that a stone mason would be sent out to repair the damages, a process that Redfern and her husband, Ernie, the other co-chair, are all too familiar with.
"The city will let us know when his work is done so that we can go in replant the petunias that were lost," she said. "We have to wait until the mason is done because as they go in, they end up stepping on more petunias. So, sadly, we know that's the protocol."
An estimated damage amount was not available as calls to the city's Public Works Department were not returned.
The Rockford Police Department said the car was unoccupied when officers arrived at the crash and the car was impounded. No injuries were reported.
The posted speed limit at the roundabout is 15 mph. For tips on how to drive in and out of a round-a-bout, visit rockfordveteranscircle.org.
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Crash at Rockford roundabout damages Veterans Memorial Circle again
