Cape's William Street intersection to get traffic signal

Business Today

The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to add traffic signals at William Street and Farrar Drive, place a concrete median on William and include an extra left-turn lane from William onto northbound Mount Auburn.

"What we've heard from the people and the business owners out there is that traffic is getting so heavy, it's very difficult to turn left out of Farrar Drive and out of the Holiday Inn," said Barry Horst, the project engineer for MoDOT. "We think this will make it easier."

The work will begin next summer, Horst said, timed to coincide with the renovation of the new Holiday Inn Express, which will replace the Holiday Inn.

A four-way intersection will be created at William and Farrar Drive, Horst said. That means traffic on William will have to stop when drivers turn in to the hotel or to the convenience stores and restaurants on the other side.

The state estimates 15,000 cars use the William-Farrar intersectioneach day and, with Midamerica Hotels' renovation plans, which include as many as five restaurants, that number is only going to grow.

"We've been working with the businesses and the city, and the feeling is that the signals will really help the traffic movement," Horst said.

The concrete median, he said, will prohibit left turns onto William between Farrar and Mount Auburn. That limits the amount of traffic on William, which also will make it safer, Horst said.

An extra turning lane will be added on William for drivers turning left onto Mount Auburn.

Horst said no cost estimates were available yet.