CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS PARK, TRAFFIC SAFETY TONIGHT

Among items on the Cape Girardeau City Council's agenda are parking changes and matters of traffic safety.

After listening to several pleas from Michael Ballou and others who live on the 300 and 400 blocks of North Louisiana, the city council elected to put proposed parking changes on the agenda for tonight's meeting.

Ballou, who lives at 409 North Louisiana, has requested that parking be restored on both east and west sides of the 300 and 400 blocks of North Louisiana.

To enact this request, it would be necessary to rescind or amend ordinance 1490 and ordinance 1492 and make the following changes:

-- Amend the ordinance to prohibit the parking on the east and west sides of North Louisiana Street from the intersection of Broadway and Louisiana southward for a distance of 235 feet on both east and west sides of the street.

-- Amend the ordinance to create two no-parking spaces to allow residents of 317 and 321 Louisiana to safely back out of driveways. The first no-parking space would begin at a distance of 288 feet north of the northeast intersection of Luce and North Louisiana Street and continue northward along the east curb line for a distance of 26 feet. The second no-parking space will begin at a distance of 339 feet north of the northeast intersection of Luce and North Louisiana Street and continue northward on the east curb line for a distance of 20 feet.

The Cape Police Department remains opposed to any changes in the 300 and 400 blocks of North Louisiana due to the narrow 24-foot width of the street.

According to Cape Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd the emergency vehicles using North Louisiana to reach Southeast hospital would face excessive danger if parking were allowed on both sides of the street.

Another item on the agenda is the proposal to implement a four-way stop at Lexington and Sherwood to make the intersection more safe.

In addition, the Cape Police Department has received complaints from residents of the Centennial Drive and Rand Street area. Residents feel there are two uncontrolled intersections in their neighborhood, creating an unsafe situation.

The police department agrees with the request for traffic control measures and recommends that stop signs are placed at the following locations :

-- Centennial Drive at Rand Street, the northeast corner facing east and southwest corner facing west.

-- Rivercrest Drive at Rand Street the northeast corner facing east and southwest corner facing west.

The city council will also appoint an ex-officio member of the Cape Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.