The Journal Star has article today on why Councilmember Van Auken is abandoning plans to improve Main Street:
“We don’t have anything in the budget this year because it’s a ‘maintenance budget,’ ” 2nd District City Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken said Tuesday.
Van Auken said she anticipates in 2009 for more discussions to occur among city officials and neighborhood leaders within the West Bluff Council on how to handle improvements along Main. She said it could be several years before any physical changes along the busy street occur.
That should be “several more years.” This has been pursued ever since the Heart of Peoria Plan was completed in 2002, so we’re at six years, four consultants/studies and counting. But by all means, let’s spend another year discussing it. Maybe someone will say something different.
“I think our goal would be to have each of the neighborhoods in the West Bluff come forward with their ideas on what they would like to see in terms of traffic flow and patterns,” Van Auken said.
Again? How many times will we be going through this exercise? I would submit that the city has gotten more public/neighborhood input on this project than any other road project in the history of Peoria. We’ve had charrettes, we’ve had public meetings, we’ve talked as neighborhood associations and submitted the results of our discussions to the West Bluff Council, and on and on and on. How many more times (years?) are we going to rehash this thing?
The council on Dec. 9 will simply be asked to vote on whether to receive and file the Hanson study, which was completed several months ago.
By 2010 when this is reconsidered, we’ll of course need to do another study with another consultant, which will then get received and filed, and we’ll go round and round and round in the circle game….
“How many … (years?) are we going to rehash this thing?”
Four more?
The article kind of gives the whole thing a pass cause of the coming budget crunch due to the economy tanking. Thing is, this was going to be killed whether there was a crunch or not. Her ‘core’ supporters are against it, as they were also against the Med-Tech, and against the whole Heart of Peoria plan. The overwhelming majority of the West Bluff Council seems to be in favor of the Main Street project, with some important difference. They want better speed control on the side streets, which Barber and Van Auken have both dismissed. There is also strong interest in taking the narrowing all the way to Farmington Road and even narrowing University from I-74 south, which Barber and Van Auken have also dismissed.
The city is facing a looming financial shortfall due to the imminent recession but cutting off economic redevelopment in a troubled area seems to be a big mistake.
I agree that the feeling on the WBC is for the Main Street project to move ahead ASAP. Between the halt on the Main Street project and the seemingly eternal delay on the long-promised Columbia Terrace upgrade, there is a feeling of frustration among many West Bluff residents. We need change and we need it now.
Wow! That’s a great pic of Barbara.
Diane — It’s from the city’s website.
And how much money is the 5th District going to be alloted in the 2009 Maintenance Budget? Just asking…..
This is just another example of the City of Peoria not following through on things. We plan, plan and plan some more and in the end the plan sits on a shelf. Every so often they start a plan and then bail on it before it’s done(RiverFront). After seeing this happen over and over you just kind of get to where you don’t believe things will ever happen and just give up on them. And yet the city just keeps growing north……..
What exactly is the plan for Main Street? I mean the Main Street from Farmington Rd to where ever? If it is to reduce this street like they did Prospect to two lanes, then that is just plain nuts. The traffic on this street is heavy and 4 lanes are needed. There is a cross walk light/traffic control at the new deck. The left turn lane at University at times backs up all the way back 3 blocks. There are left turn restrictions at most side streets to prevent drive through traffic at peak hours (seldom enforced) and the speed limit is 30 mph (seldom enforced). The street has sidewalks on both sides and after Main, beautiful lighting and hanging baskets. What else is there? It is a PUBLIC street and Prospect is NO MAIN STREET so leave it alone. It is hard enough for the rest of us taxpayer citizens to get around this town on PUBLIC streets as it is. There no study needed. Money saved. If you live next to a dynamite factory, expect explosions. If you live next to Main Street, expect traffic.
………and expect not much in the way of quality developement to ever happen either leaving Main St. the way it is.
Emtronics says, “If you live next to a dynamite factory, expect explosions. If you live next to Main Street, expect traffic.”
And if you live on the South Side, expect no sidewalks, right? Oops! Emtronics wants sidewalks, so I guess that standard only applies to Main Street.
Nope got sidewalks last month. Brand new on my street and you can drive by and look at any time. Park if you like. No restrictions and by the way, in my neighborhood, no curbs or storm sewer drains were installed. Just the sidewalks. Would they do that in your neighborhood CJ? Doubtful. But when you are treated like 2nd class citizens, you get 2nd class sidewalks. Like I said, I live by a busy street. I know it is a busy street. Restricting this busy street will cause traffic problems and maybe a delayed ambulance or fire truck. I leave the busy street alone.
as for development along Main leaving it the way it is. What? Where? Bradley owns one whole side and the Uplands doesn’t want to give up any homes on the other side. We have the Med Tech or RenPark District going and that hasn’t drawn a thing and it isn’t because of the traffic or the 4 lanes. It is the Economy ________ (you fill in the blank. )
Randall: And so, if you are elected to the city council — you should be able to get 1st class sidewalks in your neighborhood…….
I agree with Emtronics about Main Street: I really would like to know how anyone would think it possible to reduce it to two lanes. During rush hours traffic is heavy from Farmington Road to University. I assume the same is true from Main going downtown. To where would all this traffic be diverted?
Karrie, I am not running. As for the 1st class sidewalks, well it’s too late for my street. They simply plowed through everyone’s yard a path and then laid a sidewalk. No curbs, no landscaping. The other side of the street got nothing.
As for the Main Street, no one has answered my original question which what was Main to look like if they did what was studied and suggested by the local neighborhoods?
All I got was slammed for having an opinion that didn’t go with the author’s view. Heavens forbid someone disagree about anything with the Uplands, The Arbors, or West Bluff.
(Gosh I hate to double post) By the way, no one, and I mean no one got a notice of any of the work. I came home from a out of town weekend trip to find my car trapped in the garage because of wet cement of the sidewalk crossing what was left of my driveway. Same for a neighbor down the street. Now that is second class treatment and no body in any other neighborhood would have had put up with that treatment.
Emtronics — The plan for Main Street is to reduce it to three lanes (one travel lane in each direction, plus a middle turn lane) from University east to downtown. From University west to Farmington Road, no one at the city has suggested narrowing it to two lanes. They say the traffic volume is such that it needs to retain four travel lanes. They have put forth the idea of removing the center turn lane and putting in a median that would physically prevent left turns into and out of the Uplands. A majority of Uplanders at a recent residential association meeting are opposed to that; they like accessibility to the Uplands and would prefer keeping the center turn lane rather than a median.
Emtronics said, “All I got was slammed for having an opinion that didn’t go with the author’s view. Heavens forbid someone disagree about anything with the Uplands, The Arbors, or West Bluff.”
And heaven forbid someone disagree with Emtronics! He’ll slam not only you, but your neighborhood, an adjacent neighborhood, and an entire section of town!
Emtronics: What street is that? That is not second class treatment — way below. No one should receive that type of treatment. Who requisitioned your sidewalks — have you found out? Are you being assessed for any portion of those sidewalks? Who paid for the sidewalks? Isn’t it city policy to put in sidewalks and curbs at the same time? Was this the project that Gulley was talking about at Council?
Up to 40% of the traffic traveling on Main St. is not going to any place in the West Bluff area nor is it leaving any place in the West Bluff area. It is pass through traffic. We have a shiny new Interstate that is LESS used than it was before the Upgrade. Much of that pass through traffic can be pushed onto the Interstate where it belongs.
CJ: Thanks for the explanation on Main. It is good to know that the 4 lanes will remain up to University but I firmly believe it should remain all the way to downtown too. This type of lane reduction has been done on Lincoln and Howett Streets in Peoria. Yesterday afternoon, I sat through 4 changes of the traffic light at Western because of 2 school buses, a city bus, and other traffic had the line backed up 4 blocks. This is what Main Street wants?
As for slamming your neighborhood or the others, well, yes I do. What fun is there on the blogs? Like my neighborhood doesn’t get raked?? Get over it.
Karrie: Check out the new sidewalks planted on Antoinette Street from Laramie to Griswold. No assessment because it was a grant. So free is free. Remember all the kids they ticketed for walking in the streets? Well, there was no sidewalk for them to walk on and now, there is.
Reduce that pass thru traffic to 10% and you don’t need 4/5 lanes on Main St. It becomes wasteful maintenance.
Main Street Traffic: The city of West Peoria is considering a 350 bed dorm-like structure on Heading (location of the former St. Joseph’s home). Of course, many residents are against it, but if the city has its way, considerably more traffic onto Main Street from Heading Avenue (and vice versa) will result. I assume that might affect Main Street traffic. Would that much added traffic to an already “problem” intersection) warrant a traffic light at that intersection?? That would be a Peoria, not a West Peoria, decision.
It is a great picture of Barbara; but did you see the one of Hillary in todays (Nov.20) PJS? They had to work hard and long on that one!
I agree, Mahkno. Main Street ought to be a destination, not a thru-way. Get that cut-thru traffic back on I-74, where it belongs.
A light at Heading won’t happen. Too close to Farmington Road.
mahkno sez:
“A light at Heading won’t happen. Too close to Farmington Road.”
I say: You’re right but don’t bet on it. Stupidity rules. Look at the traffic lights on Sterling. What a mess and isn’t the Bradley parking deck light too close to Farmington Rd.?
Lane reduction on Main St.: I am frequently a pedestrian here and know the dangers. However, I am really concerned how reduced lanes of traffic could begin to handle the many emergency vehicles that must traverse this thoroughfare. I don’t get it.
Emtronics: You go. I like your attitude.
C.J.: Like me, you are fiscally conservative. You describe any sales tax increase in support of the downtown museum as a “detraction,” a position I share. So I’m guessing you MIGHT not be in favor of raising taxes for the Main Street improvements you defend in this post. Perhaps you are in favor if higher taxes in support of these improvements. But if you aren’t, can you identify where in the budget you would find the money for these improvements. In other words, can find spending in the budget you would divert to Main Street if you could?
I’m just curious.
😉
Billy — What’s with the “gotcha” attempts tonight? I say “attempts” because you’ve yet to be successful.
The Main Street improvements were in the CIP budget already, so a “maintenance budget” should have already included those funds. I don’t know if BVA took them out or diverted them to something else; I haven’t seen a complete 2009 CIP budget yet.
I don’t believe taxes would have had to be raised to start phasing in Main Street improvements. I also don’t know where they came up with the $10 million estimate, other than just pulling that number out of the air. It certainly wouldn’t cost $10 million to install parking meters along Main from University downtown and put down some new paint on the roadway to mark the traffic changes.
Certainly not all the funding needed to be cut. There are inexpensive things that can be done to improve the pedestrian experience along Main.
C.J. I’m just in a peckish mood.