Broadway widening plan gets grumbles

Some Cape Girardeau business owners are upset over a plan to widen a section of Broadway that would remove on-street parking and possibly close part of Henderson Avenue and turn it into a parking lot.

Mike Schmidt, who owns The Playdium bar at 1127 Broadway, said on-street parking is important to his customers and those of the surrounding businesses.

"We don't want to lose our businesses or our livelihoods," he said.

As part of the city's plan to begin widening Broadway from Perry Avenue to Houck Place next year, consulting engineer Chris Koehler has suggested removing on-street parking and closing a section of Henderson just south of Broadway and turning it into a parking lot.

Koehler and city planner Kent Bratton raised the idea in a meeting last week with the planning and zoning commission. They discussed possible improvements to Broadway from Henderson to Houck Place as part of a larger project.

The estimated $2 million widening project that would be funded with transportation sales tax money. Construction could start as early as next spring, city officials said.

The tentative plan also would realign Henderson Avenue on the north side of Broadway to move the intersection a little to the west. The improvements may also include traffic signals at the Henderson and Broadway intersection. Southeast Missouri State University officials have pushed for traffic signals because students use the busy intersection to enter the campus.

P&Z commissioner Harry Rediger said an improved intersection would provide "a new front door" for the university.

But widening that bottleneck of Broadway would impact seven businesses, all on the south side. Southeast Missouri State University owns the property bordering Broadway on the north side and wants to dress up the Henderson Avenue entrance to the campus and pave the parking lot next to Houck Field House.

The university is paying for the engineering work on the street project so it can proceed with its parking lot plans. The city then will reimburse the university for the engineering expense.

Koehler said he hopes to have right of way lines for the project established by May or June and the entire plan drawn up by late summer or early fall.

Both Bratton and Koehler said nothing has been finalized. The design could change.

Business suggestions

Business owners said there's no reason to widen Broadway east of Henderson Avenue because much of the university traffic turns onto Henderson.

City planning officials and Koehler, the consulting engineer, so far haven't discussed any street design options with business owners.

Schmidt said the city needs to involve property owners in the planning process.

"Everything is in a shroud of secrecy," he said.

Ron Bohnert, who owns Pagliai's Pizza at 1129 Broadway, said he has put on hold plans to renovate the second floor of his building and expand his restaurant until he sees what street changes are planned.

Bohnert suggested the university include spaces for parking for the affected Broadway businesses when it renovates the parking area on the north side of the street.

Planning and Zoning commissioners have offered the same advice.

Trina Stephens and Anita Buckner, co-owners of Kutters Hair and Nail Salon at 1117 Broadway, hope the on-street parking remains. Customers, they said, want to park as close as possible to the businesses.

Mayor Jay Knudtson insisted that the concerns of business owners will be heard. There will be at least three public meetings before the council will proceed with the project, he said.

Koehler said removing on-street parking would eliminate 15 parking spaces. Closing Henderson Avenue just south of Broadway and turning it into a parking lot between Imo's Pizza and Pagliai's Pizza would recover 12 parking spaces, leaving a net loss of three spaces, he said.

That essentially would turn Henderson Avenue into a dead end in the block from Broadway to Harmony Street.

Geraldine Patrick, who lives at 239 N. Henderson, doesn't like the idea. She said she doesn't want to live right next to a parking lot.

"I think that would just bring our property values down," said Patrick, who has lived in her brick home for 27 years.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123