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Monticello city council continues debate over street widening: Residents believe truck traffic will make area unsafe
[October 14, 2007]

Monticello city council continues debate over street widening: Residents believe truck traffic will make area unsafe


(Herald & Review (Decatur, IL) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Oct. 14--MONTICELLO -- For farmers and a farm implement dealer, widening the main artery coming into town from the east could help them bring their increasingly larger equipment to their destinations.



But for residents of one of the city's oldest and most picturesque districts, widening Washington Street will just bring in more truck traffic, destroy stately old trees and make the neighborhood unsafe for children.

The two sides faced off Thursday evening at a public hearing attended by city council members. Seventeen speakers addressed the council, presenting a variety of arguments as to why the council should approve or oppose construction.


The city has obtained a $905,000 federal grant to help widen the residential street from 24 to 30 feet.

The decision on how to use the grant money -- or whether to use it at all -- has become a difficult one for city council members, who have been inundated by phone calls and e-mails from both sides. A group of residents, Monticello Citizens United for Responsible Boulevard Solutions, has collected about 1,000 signatures of those opposing street widening.

At a previous informational meeting, the city's contract engineer presented options to the widening plan. One of the options includes leaving the street as it is, but widening the intersection of Washington and Buchanan streets, destroying eight trees. Another option is to reject the grant money and scrap the project.

One of the residents' main objections to the construction is that there is a string attached to the federal grant: portions of Washington, Buchanan and Center streets would be designated as a truck route. The route would appear on an Illinois Department of Transportation Web site and GPS systems as a Class III truck route, capable of carrying 80,000 pound trucks traveling between Interstates 57 and 72.

Maynard Suhre, a Washington Street resident, told the council he did not believe city officials understood the full ramifications of requesting funds that mandated the designation of a truck route.

"There was no discussion with (the Illinois Department of Transportation) prior to the request," Suhre said, adding that the city will have to assume the full cost of repairs to the streets, which have not been tested to ascertain if they can handle additional loads.

Suhre questioned why city officials have not tested the streets they are considering for increased truck traffic. He said he contacted a Champaign engineering firm, which quoted him a price of $8,000 or less to do the testing.

"Why wouldn't the city want to spend $8,000 to find out if the streets are capable before declaring them so?" asked Suhre, a leader of CURBS. "And if they are not capable why would the city want to create more maintenance from trucks passing through Monticello?"

Gary Huisinga, owner of Heath's Inc., a farm implement dealership, said there is a need for an improved entrance to the east side of town, but does not want increased through truck traffic. He said he did not believe it would be necessary to widen Washington Street to 30 feet.

Huisinga made several suggestions, including moving utility poles back from the street, raising overhead wires and cables, trimming trees and widening of the corner of Washington and Buchanan to allow wider turns there.

Vickie Carlton, who lives near Washington Street, said she is opposed to increased truck traffic, especially after having two lost trucks use her front yard to turn around this past summer.

"There is no common sense that can be applied to making changes to our city streets that will result in these streets becoming a Class III truck route," Carlton said.

Terry Lieb, a farmer who lives in Monticello, said he believes Washington Street should be widened because it is difficult for farm implements and trucks to drive on it, but he does not want to see the street become a truck route.

"Farming is going to be here forever," Lieb said. "We should embrace it. This is Piatt County's wealth. I think we can work around the designated truck route."

After the meeting, Monticello Mayor Bill Mitze said he hopes the city council will vote on the issue within a month. Mitze said the council will not vote on the issue at its next meeting because the council wants more information from state and federal officials about implementing possible options.

Mitze said he plans to consider requesting a study of the streets to see if they can handle 80,000 pound trucks.

Huey Freeman can be reached at [email protected] or 421-6985.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Herald & Review, Decatur, Ill.
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