School traffic

Many area students will head back to school this week, which means more traffic in the morning and early afternoon.

As you commute, please pay special attention to children boarding school busses and other vehicles. This vigilance applies to older students as well. Some Southeast Missouri State University students already are back in town, though fall classes are still a couple weeks off. The downtown area and campus will be especially high-volume areas for walkers, and the extra vehicles on the road should not be overlooked.

The city and university have partnered to help address student safety at the corner of Henderson Avenue and Broadway. A new traffic signal will be installed this month at the intersection -- a project that has been in the works for several years. With a residence hall nearby, and general concerns when vehicles fail to yield to oncoming traffic, we understand why the city and university went with this option.

No road closures are expected while construction takes place. However, it's possible there may be some temporary lane closures. Please slow down as construction takes place. The city is expected to adjust timers so backups will not become an issue.

We wish everyone a productive and safe school year.