Officials try to allay concerns about roundabout's capabilities

Questions about navigation, size and traffic changes were addressed by officials at a public meeting Tuesday to discuss a future roundabout at the Independence Street and Gordonville Road intersection in Cape Girardeau.

Held at the Osage Centre, more than 15 people showed up for the beginning of the two-hour meeting.

The need to improve traffic flow and relieve congestion at the intersection was identified through the city's Transportation Trust Fund public-involvement process and included in TTF 4, approved by voters in 2010.

During peak travel times, the existing four-way stop is unable to efficiently handle traffic. Based on a recent traffic study, the city determined 12,000 vehicles per day travel on Independence between Gordonville Road and Kingshighway.

City engineer Casey Brunke fielded questions from attendees concerned the roundabout might not be large enough to handle traffic. She said it was designed with heavy traffic and the navigation of large trucks in mind.

The roundabout will be similar to the one at Fountain and Morgan Oak streets, near the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus.

"Certainly trucks can use [the proposed roundabout]," said Brunke. "They use the one at the River Campus just fine."

Like the Fountain Street roundabout, the one at Independence Street would be 135 feet in diameter. By comparison, the roundabout at Gordonville Road and Silver Springs Road is 95 feet in diameter, and the multilane roundabout at Lexington Avenue and Route W is 200 feet.

The Independence roundabout would include truck aprons at its center and perimeter to allow for easier navigation by larger vehicles.

Plans for the roundabout call for it to be built slightly southeast of the existing intersection.

It requires some grade work for the eastern leg of Independence Street, which has a downward slope as it continues toward Kingshighway. Brunke said the portion of the street included in the project will need to be raised about 5 feet. Independence between Rodney and West Drive will be closed for about two months for that work.

Brunke said the project area will likely be closed at once to allow contractors to work continuously. Information on the closure and detours will be made available to the public in advance, she added.

The project should go out to bid in March and could be finished by May. Because of how popular the intersection is, Brunke said the city will work with contractors to reopen it as soon as possible.

One issue that will not hold up the city is land acquisition.

"We own a ton of right of way over here, so we won't have to purchase any land for the project," she said.

Landowners near the intersection -- which sits between the Missouri Army National Guard Armory, a church, apartment buildings and single-family homes -- have worked well with the city, she said.

Locations closest to the roundabout will have driveways and parking-lot access adjusted.

As with any project, Brunke said the contractor will maintain access to properties in the area when construction begins.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Independence Street and Gordonville Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1625 N. Kingshighway St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.