West Suburban Bureau

by Dave Savini
DuPage County (CBS) ― A massive project is underway to remove metal based road reflectors from DuPage County roads. The project was launched this month after revelations by CBS 2 and the Naperville Sun that metal shards from reflectors have been injuring, even killing people around the country.

Officials for the County report only minor property damage to a few cars. But Tim Murphy, a Highway Department supervisor, says they have seen enough evidence of the potential for danger.

Murphy says, "It's a dangerous situation so we are trying to eliminate the problem ahead of time." He added, "We don't want to have any kind of bodily injury, or hazards on the highway."

Two weeks ago, on Interstate 88 near Farnsworth Road, one of these five-pound metal road reflectors crashed through the front end of a car being driven by Nathan Bryant of Westmont.

The father of two remembered hearing a thud then recalled what happened next, "When I got home I saw my grill was cracked and my radiator damaged."

The iron road reflector was lodged in his engine and he and his wife believe it only missed going through their windshield by a matter of inches.

"Oh my goodness, it was terrifying," says Rebecca Bryant. "I think they should take them out. It's dangerous. People have families and someone could get hurt, seriously hurt, and die and cause a major accident."

The couple hopes all county and state governments will soon switch to plastic based reflectors, which is now happening in DuPage County. Also hoping to see change, is Harry Lowe.

His Schaumburg company Nightline manufactured these road reflectors until last year.

"Snow plows can hit them. Trucks can hit them. Traffic wear can bring them out of the pavement, and then they're a potential hazard. They're a potential missile on the road," warns Lowe.

He stopped manufacturing metal based reflectors after hearing reports of people being injured and killed. In fact, one of his company's reflectors flew through a windshield hitting 7-year-old CJ Volckman of Missouri in the face. The little girl was seriously injured.

"I don't think I should be producing a product that is going to be causing injury on a highway," he says. "I wouldn't want my face to be torn up or my child's face to be torn up like hers."

Lowe realized these iron mounts were coming loose especially on roads not properly maintained. That's why he is now speaking out against the reflectors he used to manufacture.

Earlier this month CBS 2/Naperville Sun revealed how Patricia O'Brien, from Evergreen Park, was hit in the face and seriously injured by a road reflector on the Illinois State Toll Highway near Hinsdale. She is suing the Tollway or(ITHSA) and the manufacturer in her case Avery Dennison. Neither (ITSHA) nor Avery would comment on the pending litigation. Her injury occurred in 2003 and many others have been injured by reflectors since in Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri. A Kentucky woman was killed two years ago when her SUV rolled over. A lawsuit filed by the Kentucky woman's family claims a broken reflector punctured her tire causing the fatal crash.

Lowe has created a new plastic based reflector now being tested on a section of Army Trail Road near Swift Road. Lowe commends DuPage County for taking action, "I think DuPage County did the right thing. In fact DuPage County was always on the cutting edge of looking for new developments and responding quickly to problems."

"Massive project, an ongoing project. I foresee us doing this, having a dedicated crew run through this system, probably through the year," states Tim Murphy a Highway Department Supervisor.

Roads immediately under review by DuPage include sections of Plainfield/Naperville Rd. In Naperville, Maple Avenue, Lisle/Downers Grove, 55th Street from Route 83 to County Line near Hinsdale and Warrenville Road from Washington street to Yackley road in Warrenville/Lisle. Murphy says they are prioritizing by starting with the older roads where reflectors have been in the pavement the longest and are more likely to be broken or loose.

CBS 2 has found hundreds of damaged reflector mounts on our highways, tollways and county roads. Murphy added, "It's a scary situation. It's unsafe. The driving public that's what we are here for, so we want to make sure we can maintain, take care of the problems."

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)