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City considers placing major thoroughfare on ‘road diet’

City considers placing major thoroughfare on ‘road diet’
WEBVTT LIKE THE IDEA OF LOSING SOMETHIN ELSE. THAT IS A MAIN THOROUGHFARE IN WINDSOR HEIGHTS, AND HOME TO BUSINESSES LIKE THE BAKE SHOPPE. WHILE PLENTY OF CUSTOMERS LOVE THE SWEET TREATS, OWNER VALERIE LAING SAYS A LOT OF CUSTOMERS DON’T LOVE UNIVERSITY, MAINLY ITS 25-MILE-PER-HOUR SPEED LIMIT, AND THE CITY’S SPEED CAMERAS. >> IT’S A DISINCENTIVE TO PEOPLE TO COME TO THE AREA, 25 MPH IS IN OUR OPINION UNREALISTICALLY AND UNCOMFORTABLY LOW.>> THE STR 40-45 MPH, WE HAVE A 25 MPH SPEED LIMIT THERE; THAT’S NOT RIGHT. CHRIS: THAT’S WHERE THIS ROAD DIET COMES IN, TURNING THE 4 LANE ROAD, INTO 2 LANES. CITY OFFICIALS SAY PEOPLE DRIVE SLOWER ON NARROWER ROADS, AND ADDED ROOM FOR PEDESTRIANS A BIKES MAKES EVERYONE SAFER. BUT COUNCILMAN JOSEPH JONES SA KEY TO THE PLAN, IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. HE SAYS THERE’S SOMETHING BIG IN IT FOR BUSINESS. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PPL TELL US ABOUT ALL THE TIME E ESPECIALLY OUR BUSINESSES, IS THE THE SPEED CAMERAS ARE REALL A NUISANCE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THAT SPEED LIMIT. CHRIS: THE NEW SPEED LIMIT WOULD BE 30 MPH INSTEAD OF 25MPH. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HEAD MICHAEL LIBBIE SAYS IT’S ABOUT TIME >> WE BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE REDESIGN UNIVERSITY AVENUE, NO LONGER WILL IT BE NECESSARY TO HAVE THE SPEED CAMERAS, WHICH ARE A REAL NEGATIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS EVENT FOR OUR COMMITTEE. -- FOR OUR COMMUNITY. CHRIS: JONES SAYS THE PLAN WOULD COST ABOUT $5 TO $7 MILLION, THERE’S NO EXACT TIMETABLE, BUT IF IT PASSES CITY COUNCIL, EXPECT IT TO COME TO FRUITION IN THE NEXT FEW YEA
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City considers placing major thoroughfare on ‘road diet’
The Windsor Heights City Council met Monday to discuss a "road diet" plan that would eliminate two lanes from University Avenue.University Avenue is the city's main thoroughfare and home to businesses including the Bake Shoppe.While plenty of customers love the sweet treats, Bake Shoppe owner Valerie Laing said a lot of her customers don't love University Avenue's 25 mph speed limit and the city's speed cameras."It's a disincentive to people to come to the area," Laing said. "Twenty-five mph is, in our opinion, unrealistically and uncomfortably low.""The street was designed for 40 to 45 mph," Windsor Heights City Councilman Michael Libbie said. "We have a 25-mph speed limit there. That's not right."City officials said converting the four-lane road into a two-lane road will encourage people to drive slower and add room for pedestrians.Councilman Joseph Jones said the road diet could also give a big boost to economic development."One of the things that people tell us about all the time, especially our businesses, is that the speed cameras are really a nuisance, and one of the things we want to do is to be able to raise that speed limit." Jones said. "So, we are going to do that as a part of that package plan."The new speed limit would be 30 mph, and Libbie said it is about time."We believe that once we redesign University Avenue, no longer will it be necessary to have the speed cameras, which are a real negative public relations event and thing for our community," he said.Jones said the road diet would cost about $5 million to $7 million. Additional details on the road diet can be found on the Windsor Heights website.As for concerns about increased congestion on the slimmed-down road, according to the Federal Highway Administration, road diets typically don't lead to significantly longer travel times.

The Windsor Heights City Council met Monday to discuss a "road diet" plan that would eliminate two lanes from University Avenue.

University Avenue is the city's main thoroughfare and home to businesses including the Bake Shoppe.

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While plenty of customers love the sweet treats, Bake Shoppe owner Valerie Laing said a lot of her customers don't love University Avenue's 25 mph speed limit and the city's speed cameras.

"It's a disincentive to people to come to the area," Laing said. "Twenty-five mph is, in our opinion, unrealistically and uncomfortably low."

"The street was designed for 40 to 45 mph," Windsor Heights City Councilman Michael Libbie said. "We have a 25-mph speed limit there. That's not right."

City officials said converting the four-lane road into a two-lane road will encourage people to drive slower and add room for pedestrians.

Councilman Joseph Jones said the road diet could also give a big boost to economic development.

"One of the things that people tell us about all the time, especially our businesses, is that the speed cameras are really a nuisance, and one of the things we want to do is to be able to raise that speed limit." Jones said. "So, we are going to do that as a part of that package plan."

The new speed limit would be 30 mph, and Libbie said it is about time.

"We believe that once we redesign University Avenue, no longer will it be necessary to have the speed cameras, which are a real negative public relations event and thing for our community," he said.

Jones said the road diet would cost about $5 million to $7 million. Additional details on the road diet can be found on the Windsor Heights website.

As for concerns about increased congestion on the slimmed-down road, according to the Federal Highway Administration, road diets typically don't lead to significantly longer travel times.