30-day test of the South Grand Great Streets proposal begins Sept. 8
By Cara | September 8, 2009
FYI – from Terry Freeland of the East-West Gateway Council regarding TODAY’S 30-day test of the South Grand Great Streets proposal – CJ
I wanted to let you know about the upcoming test that the City Streets Department has agreed to conduct. This will happen beginning September 8, so any help you can give us in getting out the information to your neighborhoods would be appreciated. A press release is in preparation to alert media outlets.
At the public meetings and through the on-line surveys conducted in August, we found that many members of the public and business community favored an option to reconfigure South Grand from Arsenal to Utah from four through lanes to two through lanes and a center turn lane. After meetings and conversations among several parties, including the two aldermen, Streets Department staff, members of the CID, design team staff, and East-West Gateway staff, we decided it would be a good idea to test the viability of proposed changes under real traffic conditions for 30 days before committing to a final preferred alternative for the corridor.
The Streets Department has agreed to a plan: crews will change the timing of traffic signals, reduce the number of traffic lanes from four to three, place concrete barriers to simulate curb extensions at intersections, and close the two alleys on the west side of Grand between Arsenal and Juniata. Placement of electronic message boards and signal timing changes are planned for Tuesday, September 8. Restriping, placement of barriers to simulate curb extensions, and alley closures are planned for Wednesday and Thursday. The restriping work will proceed weather permitting.
If the 30-day test shows that the lane reduction will not handle the traffic volumes adequately, the project will keep the existing four-lane configuration and focus on the other elements of the project: retiming signals; adding curb extensions; improving crosswalks; and enhancing the appearance through lighting, signage, and landscaping.
Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for your help.
Terry Freeland
Transportation Corridor Improvement Group
East-West Gateway Council of Governments
One Memorial Drive
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-421-4220 (Missouri line)
618-274-2750 (Illinois line)
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