Peoria's rebuild of the intersection of Main & University

[tornado]

Happened to traverse the newly rebuilt intersection this morning at 11am... just some observations .. but I suspect the city people don't want to hear this...
What used to be 4 lanes both ways now is reduced to essentially 2 lanes ...
sure there are left turn lanes but if more than 2 cars want to turn left then they back up into the other lane and the entire line piles up behind and cannot go thru the intersection...
Thus on an average Saturday morning without even school in session - traffic was backed up southward around the curve past Campustown almost to Bradley Ave., and backed up to the north farther even than Columbia Terr. thru the traffuc lite all the way almost to the interstate...
Likewise east & west - a 2 block wait to get to the intersection...

Decide for yourself if you want but it is the worst planning and engineering job I have ever seen -- the businesses like One World, Avanti's, The Fieldhouse, must be hearing from angry customers who get caught in a 10-15 min. traffic jam every time they go by...

In the end it will discourage people from going that way and traffic will decline at some point in the future, much to the dismay of businesses who don't mind at all having that traffic coming up to the Hilltop.

I gotta think it's also gonna be a nightmare after BU games at the Ren-Col with 2000 (if they can draw that many) people headed up there and then headed home after the game. Stay tuned...

A few other thoughts including Phil Luciano
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140529/News/140528831
http://www.cinewsnow.com/home/Drive...in-and-University-intersection-259164761.html
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140518/News/140519146

 

[bradleyfan124]

Last week I thought I would try that route also. The cars were backed up from the University and Main intersection all the way to the next light by McDonalds. And it wasn't even rush hour! Peoria ramrodded this thru and this is what you get. You have to remember what town you live in...Peoria. They do whatever they want and the hell with the people that live in it. Just ask twitter Jim. They say they wanted to eliminate congestion and make it pedestrian friendly. What those *****s have done is make it worse. There will be accidents there because there is more traffic and no where to go

 

[tornado]

... There will be accidents there because there is more traffic and no where to go

there are also frustrated, impatient drivers - some gunning it to get thru on a late yellow light because of their already long wait compounded by pedestrian traffic being given the right of way in every direction.
...but it'll get worse.......
...quite honestly for almost any location near Bradley or even on out Farmington Rd, that is the only way you can go....it should have been made more traffic-friendly, not less!

They tremendously discourage any traffic down the smaller streets like Columbia Terr. by plopping a stop sign every single block or some have concrete barriers!
and I am sure, for obvious reasons, the vast majority of people don't want to swing all the way around and approach that area from Western Ave. or the hill up MacArthur Hwy., so drivers feel that they are forced to go through Main & University.

 

[Da Coach]

For the record, this plan was supported by the city of Peoria, and strongly supported by the Bradley administration.
The intersection has been a nightmare for drivers, and it will only get worse when Bradley students are back in the fall.

I am surprised the media has not focused more on the crazy design and inconvenience and massive traffic jams it has been causing.
WEEK (cinewsnow.com) did this short article about drivers' fruatrations-
http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local...in-and-University-intersection-259164761.html

Just as is shown in the photo, at busy times, I have seen traffic back all the way up to the I-74 interchange, and block people trying to exit the Interstate at University. The city claims nobody should take more than 1 traffic light cycle to get through the intersection, and no more than 2.5 minutes. But the reporter tried it herself, and it took over 4 minutes. I have heard of people taking as much as 10 minutes, and 5 or more cycles during the mid-day rush.

It is a stupid design, and I would bet it will all be taken down and revised again within a couple years, once city people admit they made a big mistake. Every road designer should know that it will cause massive problems when you funnel 4 lanes down to just 2 lanes within a few feet of a busy intersection. For the money spent, they could have installed walkways for the pedestrian traffic if pedestrian safety was so paramount. But this design inconveniences everyone. Businesses in the area will probably see their business remain low and never return as drivers simply avoid the area altogether.

 

[wizard1]

Peoria's Rebuild of the Main & University...

Peoria's Rebuild of the Main & University...

Why not build overhead walkways for pedestrians? This would unclog automobile traffic and foot traffic could cross easily without waiting for traffic lights. Everyone wins.
Wiz

 

[bradleyfan124]

Why not build overhead walkways for pedestrians? This would unclog automobile traffic and foot traffic could cross easily without waiting for traffic lights. Everyone wins.
Wiz

Now that is a great idea! Win-win situation... Solves a lot of the problems

 

[molar50]

I have been through the intersection approximately 8 times since the completion. Maybe it was the time of the day, but I never encountered any issues. I have talked to people who live in the Bradley area and none are happy with the change. I do wonder about fire department equipment responding to an emergency in that area during peak travel times. There is no place for cars to move out of the way in that situation. I hope they think about that possibility before it happens

 

[tornado]

Personally I don't really care - as I will likely use the intersection no more than 2-3 times per year

Having experienced it yesterday, I will avoid the whole area and go down MacArthur Hwy. despite the inherent dangers.
More than 50 people took the time to leave a comment on this WMBD Facebook page giving their opinion of the intersection re-build...
https://www.facebook.com/WMBD31/pho...?type=1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


Essentially all 52 of them are negative - and many very hostile, cynical, and angry-negative..

This one sums them all up...
"Whomever came up with this needs shot."


A reporter from WEEK tried a random effort to get thru the Main & University intersection...
"Isn't this ridiculous."
"This doesn't make any sense."
"They made a big mistake.."
"I'm going to have to find a new route."
"Many drivers said it took them around ten minutes to get through the intersection.

...So we decided to try it ourselves.
After two light cycles and four minutes eight seconds, we got through the intersection."
http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local...61.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[AZ BU Fan]

Time to ressurect urban mass transit in PEO with horse drawn trollies on Main and on University?

Perhaps Peoria could apply for Fed funds for a big dig style underground by-pass on University through the Main Street intersection?

What's the value of having Ray Lahood back if he can't grease a few bilateral Congressional friends for a road project around BU campus?

 

[tornado]

Letter to the editor on the Main & University intersection...
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140613/OPINION/140619532/10950/OPINION

More.....
the main point the writer makes is that the re-build is doing exactly what was intended - slowing traffic, discouraging people from going that route, and more benefits for pedestrians...

Well...duh....we know that -- we are NOT arguing if it is doing as the re-designers intended...IT IS SLOWING TRAFFIC TREMENDOUSLY - we all know that.

A couple recent reports were quite critical of the re-design...
This one is from another resident of the area who hates the long wait times just to get to and from his home, and cites how dangerous the new design is.
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140609/Opinion/140609105
http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local...while-frustrating-some-drivers-261589961.html

The point the guy writing today's letter seems to miss is that people are critiquing whether the intent of the re-design is smart or foolish...
We have a right to express opinion just like the guy who wrote the letter to the editor -- but that guy never actually addresses the real issue...
that the re-design is terrible for anyone using the intersection - for whatever reason they choose to use it.

And why does the writer have to suggest he and his co-residents up there in that area - sorta own the place and if you don't live there you shouldn't be coming that way and clogging traffic?
Does he have any suggestions how we're going to get to the Ren-Col without coming through that intersection?

 

[Mikovio]

Does he have any suggestions how we're going to get to the Ren-Col without coming through that intersection?

Farmington Road is a good option for many.

I expect the situation is going to improve over the next few months. The issue was too much through traffic (for example, people using Main/University to get downtown when they could very easily use the interstate), and if we can re route 35% of the traffic the wait times will be cut considerably. Losing them might even be a net positive for the local businesses because it encourages pedestrian traffic, and the people trying to get downtown or across the river weren't stopping at One World or Than Linh anyway.

The entire intersection was shut down for months and everyone found their way around town just fine with zero lanes, so 3 should be sufficient. When commuters reroute themselves and the gawkers stop, it's going to be much nicer. Move in day won't be fun, but the 364 other days will be nicer.

It looks gorgeous, it'll encourage more foot traffic and it's safer for both drivers and pedestrians. The intersection has been dangerous for years. When I lived on Main I never even bothered crossing. If it looked like this though, I might have.

 

[tornado]

:evil:

Farmington Road is a good option for many.
....

well, the 90-95% of the people who live in the Peoria region who live north, east, or south of Ren-Col might disagree with that idea....I'd have to go 5-10 miles out of my way to utilize Farmington Rd. ............the only people it is a good option for are those maybe in Hanna City or Farmington.

I understand the pedestrian-conscious point of view - but I believe there's ways of doing that without throwing all the motorists under the bus.

They've widened Main St. at the expense of narrower sidewalks, they've added traffic lites, but most notably ......
... they've closed down Parkside Dr., all but closed Columbia Terrace placing stop signs every 50 feet, they've placed barricades on a number of streets
(Underhill, Russell, Bourland, etc..), and more...They even closed one of the only roads that goes through Bradley Park.
they have done everything possible for decades to FORCE more traffic to go through that intersection, then all of a sudden they decide they don't want that anymore?
I call it schizophrenic.

For 100 years the idea there has been to improve traffic flow, make access better, and encourage more people & business to come to the area -
Now all of a sudden the idea is improve pedestrian capability at the expense of impairing traffic, make it far harder to gain access to the area, and DIS-courage people from going there.

All I am saying - as I said - I only go that way 2 or 3 times a year so I don't really care for my own ends...
but ..........the debate now will likely never end, they have created a nightmare for traffic in the name of giving pedestrians a little advantage.

 

[bradleyfan124]

Quote:


Originally Posted by tornado View Post

Does he have any suggestions how we're going to get to the Ren-Col without coming through that intersection?

Farmington Road is a good option for many.

I expect the situation is going to improve over the next few months. The issue was too much through traffic (for example, people using Main/University to get downtown when they could very easily use the interstate), and if we can re route 35% of the traffic the wait times will be cut considerably. Losing them might even be a net positive for the local businesses because it encourages pedestrian traffic, and the people trying to get downtown or across the river weren't stopping at One World or Than Linh anyway.

The entire intersection was shut down for months and everyone found their way around town just fine with zero lanes, so 3 should be sufficient. When commuters reroute themselves and the gawkers stop, it's going to be much nicer. Move in day won't be fun, but the 364 other days will be nicer.

It looks gorgeous, it'll encourage more foot traffic and it's safer for both drivers and pedestrians. The intersection has been dangerous for years. When I lived on Main I never even bothered crossing. If it looked like this though, I might have.


Too much usage???????????? It is a road. You build it then get upset when people drive on it. The traffic flowed before. Now it is what we used to say in the Army, " a cluster***k ". It is a disaster!!! Semi's are having trouble making deliveries, traffic backups all over the area. I got an idea. Find out the person responsible for this, publish his name and where he lives. Then everyone drive over to his house and park their cars
__________________

BRADLEY BASKETBALL
-2 NCAA Title Games
-3 NCAA Elite Eights

 

[bake]

Every day

Every day

I drive it every day. The city provided no options for the traffic coming from the west and south side. They did install traffic calming devices on moss and through out the uplands. As a person who lives in the neighborhood I understand the intrigue of pedestrian friendly BUT where is the traffic supposed to go? Then add on street parking on both sides? How is this pedestrian friendly?

This intersection was, historically thought of as on of the worst in Peoria for traffic. This made it no better. I take issue with the city who says,..."we achieved what we want"

Wen the Varsity theater was there and knight and tobin was across the street there was two way traffic and on street parking. Avantis moved the intersection was widened and some 25 years later the city goes back to the future. I guess this will be resolved in 25 years.

 

[tornado]

omg bake - you lived there when the Varsity Theater was there, when Avanti's and LaHood's pizza was good enough that it clogged traffic just from the people stopping their cars to pick up pizza?

 

[bake]

Loved it

Loved it

What great memories. Avantis side door pick up. Lahood's pizza. Sneaking up the fire escape to get into the varsity balcony to see American graffiti. Cruising main in the 1966 ford ranch station wagon with the wood paneling. Then on an old motorcycle my parents did not know I bought. Pony tail and tee shirt. Now I can't even grow hair on top my head.

Great times.

 

[tornado]

two major editorial letters have something to say about the intersection..

one just in passing...
"the misbegotten monstrosity of the Main Street and University intersection"

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140620/OPINION/140629928/10971/OPINION

and the other in depth..(caution - if you think this intersection is good for Peoria or the west bluff - do not read this guy's opinion)
If the idea was to improve pedestrian safety - then they failed to account for all the traffic barrelling down side streets and much smaller thoroughfares to go a different way and avoid this intersection.
http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140620/OPINION/140629925/10950/OPINION

 

[amckillip]

So, I don't have strong opinions on the subject, but I drive through this intersection 6-10 times a week and have zero issues. As one who studies(d) operations research fairly extensively more capacity does not always equal more capacity, and is fairly often the opposite. I have ZERO idea on the specifics of this intersection (which would be required), so I couldn't begin to have an educated opinion, but I do know as I drove through there they had pretty significant flow monitoring before the redesign about 16 months ago and I believe the primary reason for redesign was safety, not necessarily speed. I do think the intersection redesign is good for BU as it definitely makes it more pedestrian friendly and obviously makes the 'Bubble' a little bit larger. I think this is largely a case of people overreacting to something and not understanding the goal, long term implications, etc. The whole hilltop mainstreet corridor has gotten MUCH nicer since I first started calling Peoria home and I think the intersection helps that. It might be a little bit slower, but I don't think it's anything considerable (at least in my experience) and if it saves a few accidents a year, I'm going to call it a positive.

 

[bradleyfan124]

So, I don't have strong opinions on the subject, but I drive through this intersection 6-10 times a week and have zero issues. As one who studies(d) operations research fairly extensively more capacity does not always equal more capacity, and is fairly often the opposite. I have ZERO idea on the specifics of this intersection (which would be required), so I couldn't begin to have an educated opinion, but I do know as I drove through there they had pretty significant flow monitoring before the redesign about 16 months ago and I believe the primary reason for redesign was safety, not necessarily speed. I do think the intersection redesign is good for BU as it definitely makes it more pedestrian friendly and obviously makes the 'Bubble' a little bit larger. I think this is largely a case of people overreacting to something and not understanding the goal, long term implications, etc. The whole hilltop mainstreet corridor has gotten MUCH nicer since I first started calling Peoria home and I think the intersection helps that. It might be a little bit slower, but I don't think it's anything considerable (at least in my experience) and if it saves a few accidents a year, I'm going to call it a positive.

Is that you Twitter Jim?

 

[tornado]

..
The whole hilltop mainstreet corridor has gotten MUCH nicer ...

I have been frequenting the area since the mid-1960s...and lived in a house on Main St. across form the Fieldhouse while at Bradley.

I can specifically recall several accidents on Main St. or University near the campus and most were from traffic going up over the curb and hitting signs, fire hydrants, and - yes - pedestrians....
one of the most tragic of pedestrian deaths was right there on Main
http://compelledtoact.com/Tragic_listing/Spring_2008_Tragic_Listing/Hurt.htm
http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/16433591.html?m=y


The fact that cars barrel along Main St. both ways with sidewalks immediately beyond the curbs and students who are unfamiliar with the area is a dangerous setting.


There was once a discussion about the city buying all the properties on the north side of Main St. and then widening the street and improving curbs & sidewalks - but there was too much opposition from the homeowners even though most of those houses on the north side of Main are old, run down and are not permanent residences but just rental properties.