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away" which is very common in our street system. These devices are used in many communities throughout the country and are gaining popularity in our area. About 20 permanent circles have been installed in Evanston. Midblock Islands Midblock islands are similar to traffic circles, but are used on long sections where there are no intersecting streets. They cost the same as a circle, but do impact the neighborhood more. This is because they generally require the removal of parking spaces to accommodate the shift in the travel lane. This could be a problem in some areas. Street narrowings This technique is used in some communities as a traffic calming strategy. It involves moving the curb toward the center of the street creating a "neck- down" which slows traffic. This technique does not narrow the street so much that it forces two -way traffic to use the same lane, which is believed to be a hazard for traffic and a liability problem for the City. It requires the removal of parking spaces and is a relatively expensive measure due to the need to reconstruct the curb and possibly adjust the storm drainage system to accommodate the new street configuration. Cul-de-sacs Cul -de -sacs are street closures which eliminate access between connecting streets. They have been used in Evanston to separate business traffic from residential traffic and are being considered as traffic control measures. They are very expensive, but do provide the highest degree of access restriction. They are very effective in eliminating through traffic in the block of the closure, but generally result in diverting traffic to other streets. They have a significant impact on service delivery, such as snow plowing and street cleaning. Also, emergency vehicle access is certainly an issue and must be addressed on a case -by -case basis. They are self enforcing. Diagonal Diverters Diagonal diverters are partial intersection closures which are in the form of a diagonal barrier extending from one corner of an intersection to another (northeast to southwest, for example). They eliminate through traffic in the directions affected by the barrier and the concept is similar to the "maze" approach in the non- traditional one -way street patterns. They are self- enforcing and the cost would be somewhere between traffic circles and cul -de -sacs, probably starting in the $15,000 to $20,000 range. Partial Intersection Closures Another traffic calming device is the type of intersection closure which restricts access by providing only enough room for exiting traffic from a local street to a more major street. It is formed by physically blocking the "entry lane" to the local street and supplementing it with enforceable "DO NOT ENTER" signage, while allowing 10