The Main and University intersection in Peoria could see initial redesign changes by the end of the year. Peoria Public Radio’s Tanya Koonce reports a water-main break last month created an opportunity:
Peoria Public Works Director Mike Rogers says the options he’s recommending includes raising the intersection about six inches: think expanded speed bump, on-street parking that secures expanded sidewalk bump outs at the corners, and diagonal pedestrian crossings:
"Our traditional crosswalks (are) about 65 feet. When you bump out, you are decreasing the length that the pedestrian has to walk across the road. You are decreasing it to about 35 feet. You also, in this situation, are going to have an all-way stop where you have no cars that you're interfering with which makes it even that much safer."
University and Main is considered the city’s busiest pedestrian intersection. The projects also take traffic to one lane in all directions, with a center left turn lane. Rogers says pending city council approval preliminary work could still happen this year, but wouldn’t finish until next year. He says rerouting some traffic to shorter thoroughfares away from residential streets will be a necessary in the redesign.