After hearing from many residents on the issue, the Jefferson City Council may be ready to move forward Monday with plans to vacate Chestnut Street, although those plans have changed since the last council meeting.
Nearly two weeks ago, the City Council introduced a bill to vacate Chestnut Street, from Dunklin Street to Atchison Street, to allow Lincoln University to create a pedestrian plaza. A similar proposal was made more than two years ago, but it died due to a number of unanswered questions and concerns the council had about its impact on plans for the Lafayette Street interchange, which is now under construction.
What do you think?
[]After initially seeking a full vacation, Lincoln University has indicated its agreement for more of a partial vacation, where the university would be required to provide electronically-operated gates to the pedestrian plaza. They would be closed 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but still allow deliveries and emergency vehicles to access to the street.
The most current revisions to the agreement, which could possibly change by Monday night, lay out a process of vacating the street in phases, where the first phase would require Lincoln to install the new gates. Within seven days of that installation, the partial vacation would begin, closing the street 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Once the gates are installed, the university would take on street maintenance responsibilities, including snow removal, parking enforcement and repairs.
Once the Lafayette Street interchange is complete, which is expected by late 2016, and Lincoln has completed the designs and fundraising for the pedestrian plaza, the city would completely vacate the street within 30 days. At that time, Lincoln could completely close the street.
The agreement also stipulates the university would contribute 50 percent of the cost toward improving Atchison and Locust streets "at some future time," as well as pledge to cooperate with the long-range planning of the community around the university.
As it stands now, the agreement has a high liklihood of being approved, as a majority of City Council members have indicated support for a partial vacation, at least until the Lafayette Street interchange is complete.
"I think the gate closures are a good first step," said 3rd Ward Councilman Ken Hussey. "It provides safety for the campus, it addresses that concern that they have, and it starts to acclimate the residents in the area."
Hussey said people will have to adjust to the change on Chestnut Street, but the city also will have to look at nearby streets for improvements for those who live in the area.
"I think any time you adjust the usage of a street, you impact traffic patterns," Hussey said.
All council members said they would support improvements to roads in the area and a long-range plan for traffic in the area that takes into account Lincoln University's plans for growth and other new additions, such as the planned multipurpose building that will be located on Lafayette Street and the new Boys and Girls Club building.
Fifth Ward Councilman Larry Henry said a full vacation is hard to support right now, with all the construction nearby, but the partial vacation shows Lincoln University is willing to compromise and participate with the community.
"I think we've got to give a little give as well," Henry said. "At some point, the city has to take some ownership."
Henry said the underlying issues of the vacation for many residents are traffic patterns in the area and the need for improvements on other streets in the area, including Clark Avenue, which have been issues for a long time.
"Now, the city is having to address those issues. I think this is a catalyst for that," Henry said. "Everything around Lincoln's campus needs to be improved. ... It's time that those discussions happen."
Fourth Ward Councilman Glen Costales said he's leaning toward supporting a partial vacation after the new Lafayette Street interchange opens.
First Ward Councilman Rick Prather said he supports a partial vacation of the street for a one-year trial period. After that year is up, he said, the city could evaluate it and see if support can be given to a full vacation. That way, he said, the council can see what the effect is on other streets and traffic in the area.
Second Ward Councilman Rick Mihalevich said he supports the vacation under the condition the Lafayette Street interchange be complete and the university be ready to start construction on the plaza. Until those conditions are met, Mihalevich said, he would support the partial vacation.
First Ward Councilman Jim Branch said he's leaning toward eventual vacation of the street, but noted the timing is not good with the construction in the area. Branch said he has not made up his mind and needs to see what will be presented Monday night as the current plans could change.
Second Ward Councilwoman Laura Ward said she supports the vacation as currently planned, in phases. Ward said the underlying issue is safety, both for the university and those who use the street.
However, not every councilman supports even the partial vacation. Third Ward Councilman Bob Scrivner and 5th Ward Councilman Mark Schreiber both said they are against the vacation right now.
For Scrivner, the issue is too many unanswered questions.
"There are several questions that I have, and there's really, as far as I can see, only one reason to do it and that is because Lincoln wants us to," Scrivner said.
Scrivner said it's too early to know what changes in traffic patterns will happen as a result of the Lafayette Street interchange and it's likely that closing Chestnut Street will affect more people beyond the immediate neighborhood. He also pointed out the Chestnut Street overpass is one of only three over U.S. 50 and closing a section of Chestnut Street will severely limit the amount of people accessing that overpass.
As for the argument of Lincoln University officials that the closure is needed for safety, Scrivner said there are other alternatives to address safety concerns that don't involve closing the street.
"I don't think safety's really the overriding concern," Scrivner said. "I think the main reason (is) they want to have that as an amenity or an improvement to the campus."
Scrivner said it also seems like a bad policy to vacate a street without a long-range plan for the area or funding in place to address the infrastructure needs on alternate streets in the area.
"We're putting the cart before the horse," Scrivner said. "That's not good planning."
Schreiber said he's had more feedback on this issue than any other issue he's faced while on the City Council. As it stands, he said he is against the vacation primarily because there is substantial traffic on Chestnut Street and in the area overall, and he believes more impact studies should be done before the street is vacated.
Without Chestnut Street, Schreiber said, more traffic will be put on Clark Avenue and Moreau Drive, neither of which are streets prepared for such a traffic increase.
"We have nothing in place as far as what the future is going to be," Shreiber said. "There's nothing in place as far as actual improvements to Clark Avenue."
Schreiber also agreed with Scrivner that safety is not the primary consideration as there are other alternatives, such as constructing a new pedestrian overpass. (Lincoln University did have a pedestrian overpass on Chestnut Street that was taken out within the last couple of years. The overpass was not ADA accessible and no longer gave direct access to the student union after the building was remodeled.)
Schreiber said the closure also could cause some safety issues, as increased traffic on Clark Avenue could cause issues for Immaculate Conception School on the corner of East McCarty Street and Clark Avenue.
"I'm not saying it should never happen," Schreiber said of the vacation. "I'm saying that it's a very ill time to have any closure of Chestnut Street."
Fourth Ward Councilman Carlos Graham said he will recuse himself from the vote as he is an employee of Lincoln University.
Council positions on vacating Chestnut Street
The News Tribune reached out to all 10 members of the City Council to see where they stand on the issue ahead of Monday's meeting. Support for a partial vacation indicates a member supports closing the street from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but keeping it open at all other times. Support for a full vacation indicates a member supports fully closing the street to traffic.
- Jim Branch, Ward 1:
Undecided
"Eventually, I would probably be in favor of vacating it. I don't think the timing is very good right now, just with all the construction."
- Rick Prather, Ward 1:
Leaning toward support of partial vacation for one year trial period
"As much as I wouldn't mind seeing it be a part of their campus, I'd like to be very cautious on how we go about it."
- Laura Ward, Ward 2:
Supports proposal for partial vacation then full vacation after Lafayette interchange is complete
"My main concern and those concerns that have been discussed on both sides have been the issue of safety ... But I would support this happening in phases."
- Rick Mihalevich, Ward 2:
Supports full vacation after the Lafayette interchange is complete and once LU is ready to start construction
"My tendency, currently, is to vacate, under some conditions."
- Bob Scrivner, Ward 3:
Against
"There are too many unanswered questions in regard to doing it."
- Ken Hussey, Ward 3:
Supports proposal for partial vacation then full vacation after Lafayette interchange is complete
"I think the gate closures are a good first step. It provides safety for the campus, it addresses that concern that they have, and it starts to acclimate the residents in the area."
- Glen Costales, Ward 4:
Leaning toward support of partial vacation, but only after Lafayette interchange is complete
"That way there's another road for traffic to go through in the immediate vicinity."
- Carlos Graham, Ward 4:
Recusing himself from vote as he is a Lincoln University employee
- Larry Henry, Ward 5:
Leaning toward support of partial vacation
"Lincoln has tried to come to a compromise here, they're willing to communicate with the community."
- Mark Schreiber, Ward 5:
Against
"I'm not saying it should never happen, I'm saying that it's a very ill time to have any closure of Chestnut Street."
What do you think?
Do you use Chestnut Street now? Do you believe there are safety issues on the street? Should Chestnut Street remain an open, public street or should it be vacated to provide a pedestrian plaza for the Lincoln University campus? What do you think of using gates to close the street during business hours on weekdays?
The News Tribune wants to hear your thoughts. Let us know by commenting below or on our Facebook page, or by contacting reporter Madeleine Leroux at [email protected] or at 573-761-0247.