'Broadway is not Indy 500': Business owners call for speed control

Broadway resembles a race track in downtown Cape Girardeau with motorists speeding along the thoroughfare, posing a danger to pedestrians.

That’s the view of two Broadway business owners and a city councilman, who want the city government to take steps to put the brakes on speeding, possibly by adding several defined crosswalks and flashing yellow lights that would be activated by those wishing to cross the busy street.

Laurie Everett sees the problem daily. She owns Annie Laurie’s, an antique shop at 536 Broadway, and The Indie House, a brick building across the street at 605 Broadway that houses a number of retail shops.

Laurie said Monday she regularly crosses the street there and sees her customers do the same. Speeding motorists make it risky to cross the street at times, she said.

“We have more and more businesses opening on Broadway now,” she said.

The downtown revitalization has generated more vehicle traffic as well as pedestrian traffic, she said.

“We are delighted with the extra people coming downtown,” Everett said. But she added she is concerned Broadway has become a risky place for pedestrians.

Everett suggested the city consider everything from signs and crosswalks to speed bumps.

She said she has tried to slow down traffic by posting curbside signs in front of her antique store. Last week, she posted a sign that read “Broadway is not the Indy 500.”

At other times, she has dressed a mannequin,” seated on a bench in front of her shop, as a cop.

“I have tried a lot of different methods,” she said.

But none of her efforts to slow down motorists have worked, Everett said.

She believes it is time for the city to take action.

Carisa Stark, who is working to open a new restaurant at 1107 Broadway, also worries about pedestrian safety.

She plans to open Mary Jane bourbon + smokehouse this spring, across the street from Southeast Missouri State University’s Houck Stadium and not far from several university residence halls.

Stark said she expects a lot of pedestrian traffic, much of it from Southeast students.

“I think safety is of the utmost importance,” she said, adding she would like Cape Girardeau city officials to look at traffic solutions other cities have embraced.

Everett and Stark met recently with Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard to discuss the problem.

Guard said he agrees with their concerns.

“The people zoom on Broadway,” he said.

At last week’s council meeting, Guard raised the issue publicly and suggested city staff look at ways to slow down traffic.

In a subsequent interview, Guard suggested the addition of crosswalks and flashing yellow lights to alert motorists to pedestrian crossings might help.

Guard said he believes such improvements should be considered along Broadway, starting at Houck Place, and running east to Main Street.

“I think we need to take a look at three or four different places (for crosswalks).” he said.

Guard suggested one of those locations would be in front of Discovery Playhouse, the children’s museum on Broadway. Parents and children regularly cross busy Broadway at that location, he said.

The councilman suggested signs could be erected, too, stating motorists should yield to pedestrians.

“We need to slow traffic down,” Guard said.

“We want people to enjoy our downtown,” he added.

From Houck Place eastward to the Mississippi River, there are only two signalized intersections, Guard said.

The speed limit is 25 mph along that stretch of Broadway, but Guard said people are driving much faster.

“People drive 30, 35 or 40 miles per hour,” he said.

Guard said he doesn’t know what it would cost to address the problem. But he suggested some of the city’s casino revenue could pay for crosswalks and other improvements.

City manager Scott Meyer, however, said he wants to see a viable solution before deciding on how to pay for it.

As for any funding, Meyer said one option would be some type of public-private partnership between the city and Broadway business owners.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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