CHURCH PROJECT RAISES LOTS OF STREET CONCERNS

The decision-making process for building a large church complex between an interstate highway and a sizable residential area is complicated and far-reaching, as we have learned in recent weeks from First Assembly of God's plans for a major development along I-55 near both New Hopper Road and Old Hopper Road.

It's easy to understand, for example, why residents of the subdivisions along Old Hopper Road are concerned about traffic through their neighborhood once church construction starts and other facilities such as a day-care center are added. After all, traffic along Old Hopper diminished considerably a few months ago once the stretch of New Hopper opened from Mount Auburn Road to Kage Road.

This new street has definitely improved traffic flow in that area, particularly for homeowners in the ever-growing Twin Lakes area on the west side of I-55.

Over time, city officials will have to make decisions about the church project that will, no doubt, be welcomed by some but vigorously opposed by others. Meanwhile, the issue of access to the church property needs to be addressed in such a way that there is no doubt about future traffic patterns.

The Mount Auburn-Lexington Road stretch already handles a massive traffic load on Sunday mornings generated by some 5,000 worshippers attending 11 thriving churches in that area, including the current First Assembly of God location.

Most of those churches have programs and activities throughout the week that add to the number of motorists.

For the most part, the street system is adequate.

One issue that has been raised by residents along Old Hopper has been the concern about traffic in and out of the building site.

Both city and church officials say the main entrance will be from New Hopper, once the project is completed. That should be good news for the long term. But the concern is how long construction will take and whether or not the entrance from Old Hopper will be closed off permanently or continue to be used as a secondary entrance.

Then there is the issue of extending Vantage Drive parallel to I-55 from near William Street all the way north to Hopper Road. There are no plans in the works for such an extension. Nor is there any funding available for that sizable project among the city's Transportation Trust Fund projects, which establishes priorities for major street improvements.

And even if Vantage Driver were to be extended, what plans are there for the traffic it would funnel into the confusing intersection of Vantage Driver, Farrar Drive and William Street (one of the busiest thoroughfares in the entire city)?

These are the kinds of issues the city can address before there's a traffic crisis.

At some point, something is going to have to be done about the congestion on William near I-55. Creating a new route for traffic to reach that area doesn't make sense unless there is a plan to control the traffic, eliminate hazards and forestall bottlenecks.