City hosting public hearing on Gordonville Road roundabout project

Addressing traffic congestion issue at the Independence Street and Gordonville Road intersection has been on the city of Cape Girardeau's to-do list for a while.

Hosting a public meeting to discuss improvement plans is the next step toward beginning work on a new roundabout there.

The meeting will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Osage Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway. It is an open-house-style meeting, with no formal presentation.

"We encourage people to come by and just check it out, ask questions," said city engineer Casey Brunke.

The project is among those approved under Transportation Trust Fund 4. Earlier this month, the city council approved a revised design services agreement with Koehler Engineering for the intersection, which calls for the project to go up for bid in March. Cost of the design is not to exceed $57,855.44.

The project qualifies for 80 percent reimbursement under the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission STP-Urban Program Agreement. The remaining 20 percent will come from TTF 4 revenue.

Brunke said the city typically hosts public meetings before each specific TTF project -- unspecified projects such as asphalt overlay do not include public meetings -- to show residents what to expect and "get public buy-in on the projects."

Property owners at the intersection -- which sits between the Missouri Army National Guard Armory, a church, apartment buildings and single-family homes -- are on board with the plan, the city has said.

This is a project likely to garner plenty of interest because many motorists have found themselves stuck at the intersection during peak travel times.

"I notice in the evenings -- although I'm sure it backs up in the mornings and lunchtime hour -- but in the evenings, it's really congested," Brunke said.

A roundabout seemed to be the best option to reduce delays and would keep traffic moving more quickly than a traffic light.

"So if you come up on (the) roundabout and no one's there, you look, you yield and you go on," she said. "Whereas, with a traffic signal, even if no one is around, you have to stop and wait until the light turns green."

Those familiar with the area know Gordonville Road has one roundabout near Saint Francis Medical Center. Brunke said the new roundabout will be different.

"The design, it's very similar to the one at Morgan Oak and Fountain," she said. "It's a simple, single-lane roundabout, but it's a decent size."

It also will be designed to allow large trucks.

Other benefits of the roundabout, which will be discussed at the meeting, include lower maintenance costs and improved safety, compared to an intersection with a traffic light.

Brunke said city officials know some drivers do not feel comfortable with roundabouts, so the meeting will include literature on how to navigate them. The city, along with the Missouri Department of Transportation, took similar steps before the opening of the Lexington Avenue and Route W roundabout in 2013.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Gordonville Road and Independence Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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Want to go?

What: Independence/Gordonville Road intersection improvement public meeting

When: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Osage Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau