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Mike Fiedler and his neighbor, Jim Higgings, showed up to question the high-speed traffic that has come through their neighborhood. Ralph Hasten attended to just get information on the construction.
Regardless of their reasons for attending, dozens of East Peoria and Washington residents attended the informational meeting about the Centennial Drive improvements July 21 at Grange Hall in Washington.
The purpose of the meeting was to allow residents of the two cities to ask questions of project engineers and city officials about the ongoing and upcoming construction on Centennial Drive. Maps and photos of areas of Centennial Drive affected by the construction were on display for attendees to view and see visuals of how the road will be impacted.
Presently, the Darden Lane to Grange Road position of Centennial Drive is under construction. The next phase of construction will stretch from Grange to Spring Creek Road.
“(The public hearing) is for the final phases of the Centennial Drive construction— five and six,” Ric Semonski, street department supervisor for East Peoria, said. “These phases of construction will carry Centennial Drive from Grange to Spring Creek Road.”
According to Semonski and engineers at the meeting, construction for phases five and six will begin in 2012 and will continue until the first few months of 2013. The construction on those phases of the road will also include repavement along with gutters along the side of the road. Phases five and six will be part of a joint project with Washington and the Tazewell County Highway Department.
“The (project) is really important,” Semonski said. “It’s a ditched roadway, and the new improvements will include a curb and gutters.
“Centennial (Drive) is a major roadway in East Peoria. It gives continuity to (Illinois Central College), (IL-)24 and (Route) 8,” he added.
Some of the issues that the engineers and city officials fielded questions on included drainage and how individuals’ property and driveways would be affected by the roadwork.
Another concern raised by several of those in attendance was the amount of traffic that has been diverted through side streets due to the construction.
“People are ignoring the barricades and coming down (Windsong) Street at 30-40 mph,” Fiedler said. “They’re not abiding by the speed limit.
“I’m hoping something gets done,” he added.
Both Semonski and East Peoria City Commissioner Daniel Decker said the rerouted traffic is concerning to them and different options are being looked into to ensure the safety of children that reside in subdivisions off Centennial Drive.
“Ric is checking into closing those (subdivision) entrances during the current construction,” Decker said. “People don’t realize they are turning people’s neighborhood into a race track. The danger that’s being created in unacceptable.”
Mike Fiedler and his neighbor, Jim Higgings, showed up to question the high-speed traffic that has come through their neighborhood. Ralph Hasten attended to just get information on the construction.
Regardless of their reasons for attending, dozens of East Peoria and Washington residents attended the informational meeting about the Centennial Drive improvements July 21 at Grange Hall in Washington.
The purpose of the meeting was to allow residents of the two cities to ask questions of project engineers and city officials about the ongoing and upcoming construction on Centennial Drive. Maps and photos of areas of Centennial Drive affected by the construction were on display for attendees to view and see visuals of how the road will be impacted.
Presently, the Darden Lane to Grange Road position of Centennial Drive is under construction. The next phase of construction will stretch from Grange to Spring Creek Road.
“(The public hearing) is for the final phases of the Centennial Drive construction— five and six,” Ric Semonski, street department supervisor for East Peoria, said. “These phases of construction will carry Centennial Drive from Grange to Spring Creek Road.”
According to Semonski and engineers at the meeting, construction for phases five and six will begin in 2012 and will continue until the first few months of 2013. The construction on those phases of the road will also include repavement along with gutters along the side of the road. Phases five and six will be part of a joint project with Washington and the Tazewell County Highway Department.
“The (project) is really important,” Semonski said. “It’s a ditched roadway, and the new improvements will include a curb and gutters.
“Centennial (Drive) is a major roadway in East Peoria. It gives continuity to (Illinois Central College), (IL-)24 and (Route) 8,” he added.
Some of the issues that the engineers and city officials fielded questions on included drainage and how individuals’ property and driveways would be affected by the roadwork.
Another concern raised by several of those in attendance was the amount of traffic that has been diverted through side streets due to the construction.
“People are ignoring the barricades and coming down (Windsong) Street at 30-40 mph,” Fiedler said. “They’re not abiding by the speed limit.
“I’m hoping something gets done,” he added.
Both Semonski and East Peoria City Commissioner Daniel Decker said the rerouted traffic is concerning to them and different options are being looked into to ensure the safety of children that reside in subdivisions off Centennial Drive.
“Ric is checking into closing those (subdivision) entrances during the current construction,” Decker said. “People don’t realize they are turning people’s neighborhood into a race track. The danger that’s being created in unacceptable.”
