INTERSECTION SAFETY

The intersection of Henderson Avenue and New Madrid Street next to the Southeast Missouri State University campus has always been confusing. With Greek Drive merging close by, traffic flows into the intersection from five directions hampered by a hill that limits visibility. Traffic is expected to increase considerably this fall as students and faculty go to the new business building, which is adjacent to the intersection.

The city and university joined forces last fall to improve the intersection at a cost of $670,000. Some neighbors worry that the plan will make driving through the intersection more dangerous. But it's a little late to start over. Both the university and the city have signed off on the plan to reconfigure the intersection. Bids have been advertised and will be opened Monday. Contracts could be awarded next week. If the project is stalled now, the intersection won't be done when school opens.

The intersection plan came before the Planning and Zoning Commission last November. Commissioners said this alternative was the best of three presented, but they hardly embraced it. Even though changes were suggested, the plan -- developed by a St. Louis engineering firm --hasn't changed significantly.

Taxpayers will remember that the intersection project was moved up on the city's priority list of transportation sales-tax projects last October. The university agreed to lend the city money to complete the intersection this summer. The project originally was No. 19 out of 20 priorities on the list.

Already more than 5,300 cars a day travel southbound on Henderson through the intersection each day. The intersection plan is designed to control vehicles making turns, and the flow of through traffic is being changed to move northbound Henderson traffic onto New Madrid and out to Sprigg Street at the Show Me Center.

Much of the problem is the hill at the intersection. It will be shaved some, but additional leveling isn't possible because of all the underground utilities in the area. Moving sewer, water and gas lines would have dramatically increased the price of the project.

A more standard four-way intersection wasn't possible either, engineers say, because of the odd angles of the five streets that come into intersection.

The plans include the possible addition of traffic lights in the future. If the current configuration proves troublesome when completed, as some nearby residents suggest, then the city should consider adding the lights as a way to better regulate traffic.

The current timetable aims at completing the intersection project by the opening of classes on Aug. 23:

-- Complete the Greek Drive extension, which should divert some traffic away from the intersection and onto New Madrid.

-- Complete the New Madrid improvements east toward the Show Me Center.

-- Complete the South Henderson improvements.

Additional improvements also are planned for New Madrid west of the intersection and Henderson to the north at a later date. If the project were to be stalled for further design changes, more than 5,000 cars a day would have to be detoured each day during the busy school year. That's not very practical. It's more likely that the work would be delayed until next summer. Improvements to the intersection are needed. The opening of the business building and the start of classes this fall will only aggravate an already confusing intersection.