Many of those who came to a public meeting on a proposal to vacate part of Chestnut Street on the Lincoln University campus voiced feelings it should not happen.
The City Hall meeting Thursday evening was for residents to talk with city officials and Lincoln representatives about an ordinance introduced at Monday's council meeting to vacate Chestnut from Dunklin Street to Atchison Street.
Lincoln wants to close the street to public access and construct a pedestrian plaza in a portion of the street.
The university would be required to provide electronically operated gates to the pedestrian plaza. They would be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but still allow deliveries and emergency vehicles access to the street.
City staff supports the vacation based on the traffic issues, but acknowledged adjoining residents may be inconvenienced by the closure.
A number of residents spoke against the plan at Monday's council meeting, and many more did the same on Thursday.
"There's nothing positive about closing the street," said Greg Eskijian, who lives on Rosevalley Drive. "I use Chestnut through Lincoln all the time and don't have any problem with people crossing there. If they do vacate it, then it shouldn't be done until the Lafayette interchange project is complete."
City staff did say maintaining the status quo of the surrounding streets until the interchange is completed would allow more alternatives to the closures brought on by the Lafayette project. The interchange is not expected to be done until next fall.
"When you think about all the added traffic that will be coming to that area with the Boys and Girls Club coming in, keeping the street open just makes sense," said Leslie Boulevard resident Harold McDowell.
At Monday's council meeting, Lincoln University President Kevin Rome said campus officials would be willing to wait until the Lafayette project is done, but said they wanted it made known the Chestnut vacation would be done eventually.
At Thursday's meeting, Rome told residents his desire to see the project through was not only for student safety, but also trying to create a campus corridor for the school.
Some residents told Rome they had been fighting this for years and were tired of doing so.
The last time a similar plan was proposed was in fall 2012. It died on the council's informal calendar that December after questions arose about the impact the vacation would have on the interchange project.
Asked about the future, Rome balked at guaranteeing this proposal wouldn't be resurrected if it fails this time.
"We'll live with whatever is decided," he said. "However, I can't promise that any successor to me won't bring it back if it does fail."
The ordinance will be back before the council in two weeks and could be voted on at that time.