More than 150 people attended a public meeting Thursday night to hash out the future of the Main and University intersection. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports:
City officials say a water main break earlier this month is an opportunity to completely re-do one of the city's busiest intersections. One option considered is to raise the land locked intersection six-inches. Peoria Public Works Director Mike Rogers says that would make drivers slow down as they passed through:
“But it’s a lot more visable for the pedestrians that are in that intersection. Plus from an ADA compliance standpoint, that area is a very difficult one to bring into compliance. So what it does, it brings it into compliance very easily,” Rogers says.
Rogers says the intersection could also see diagonal crossing and expanded sidewalks to cut down on the distance pedestrians have to travel. He says building a roundabout at Main and University is unlikely. That’s because there would only be enough room for a one lane roundabout, which could delay traffic even more. Residents also talked about adding pedestrian skywalks and expressed concern that motorists would drive through area neighborhoods to avoid a slower intersection. Rogers says he hopes to present the city council with a final proposal early next month. He says the goal is to finish work on the intersection by the end of the year.