EAST PEORIA, Ill. – Motorists going through East Peoria will soon experience some minor inconveniences as traffic work gets underway.
Commissioners voted unanimously at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting to approve $343,000 to be put towards the project at the intersection of Camp St. and River Rd.
A left turn lane from River to the Embassy Suites will be created, as will a second right turn lane from River onto Camp.
The Peoria-Pekin Urbanized Area Transportation Study will cover the rest of the $800,000 the project is estimated to cost, overall.
The project was targeted for a Jul. 6 start date, but the commission didn’t put the item on an agenda until Jul. 7.
Director of Planning and Community Development Ty Livingston said bids for construction had not yet been taken, but that wouldn’t likely delay completion.
Target completion date was Oct. 31, to run concurrently with the finishing of the Murray Baker project.
Discussion about taking on this project started around 2018, according to Commissioner Daniel Decker, with public outcry over original plans to install a roundabout at that intersection.
“I think it might be on top of the roundabout we have, already. Some people don’t like it,” he said.
“It’s a small roundabout and not the same as some places you go. You go to Phoenix, Hilton Head… those are large roundabouts.
“I think that’s what people thought this was going to be.”
Decker said in addition to the public outcry, cost factored into the change in plans. A roundabout would have cost the city between $1.2 and $1.5 million.
