Transportation

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Illinois Terminal proposal dead

CHAMPAIGN – An upset U.S. Rep. Timothy Johnson, saying he's unhappy about not being consulted by city and mass-transit officials, has come out strongly against a proposed expansion of Illinois Terminal to accommodate a "park-and-ride" child care facility.

And that opposition will likely kill the tentative project, which was dependent on $2.3 million in federal funding that Johnson's office had helped to secure.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Garden Hills principal: Teacher will be greatly missed

CHAMPAIGN – Venita Hubbard was a talented teacher, passionate about her profession and warm and caring toward her students – someone with a "teacher's heart," said her principal at Garden Hills Elementary School, Cheryl O'Leary.

The school's staff and students were grieving Mrs. Hubbard on Monday after she was killed in an accident on her way to school.

Officials: Crews were out clearing roads, monitoring situation

CHAMPAIGN – Illinois Department of Transportation crews had been at work throughout Sunday night and Monday morning clearing snow, putting down salt and monitoring road conditions.

Transportation officials can't say when they last salted Bloomington Road before icy pavement caused an accident that killed a 32-year-old Champaign woman, Venita Hubbard. But in high winds and blowing snow, they generally suspend salting to avoid ice building up on the road, said Howard Furnish, a service technician with the transportation department's district office in Paris.

Area police respond to dozens of accidents

Slick roads, streets, highways and interstates kept state and city police, sheriff's deputies and tow-truck crews busy all day Monday and into the night, responding to accidents and pulling vehicles out of ditches throughout East Central Illinois, according to area law enforcement officials.

From 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Illinois State Police in Pesotum handled more than 45 accidents on the three local interstates, but the majority were on Interstates 57 and 74, according to Master Sgt. Mike Garza.

Urbana aldermen, mayor defend Cunningham Avenue study

URBANA – City council members strongly defended a $100,000 Cunningham Avenue beautification study Monday night, saying city officials should "push back" against state transportation officials who criticized aspects of the plan as dangerous.

Aldermen voted unanimously, in a voice vote, to accept the plan, which was prepared by Indianapolis consultant Claire Bennett Associates over the past year.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Reynolds Towing Service has room for growth

URBANA – Reynolds Towing Service has moved into the former Premium Brands building in Urbana, freeing up lots of space for the 28-year-old business.

Reynolds vacated its former 9,000-square-foot building at 210 W. University Ave., C, to take over 44,000 square feet at the new location.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Broken water main closes northbound lane of Prospect

CHAMPAIGN – A water main break has closed a lane of northbound traffic on Prospect Avenue near White Street.

The main break was discovered Friday morning and an Illinois American Water crew was expected to have the main fixed by early afternoon, said Barry Suits, operations manager for the water company.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Champaign won't salt secondary streets this winter

CHAMPAIGN – Jane Tock lives on South Highland Street in Champaign, in a brick-and-stone home just a little west of Prospect Avenue.

Her street has just the slightest rise – almost imperceptible – to the north of her house. But when it snows, she often can't make it up the incline in her car.

So Tock wasn't pleased Wednesday to hear that the city has announced plans to stop salting most residential streets this winter in an effort to cut costs.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

MTD board approves 7.5 percent increase in tax levy

CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit district unanimously approved a 7.5 percent increase in its tax levy Wednesday.

The increase would cost up to $12 more for the owner of a $150,000 house, said MTD Managing Director Bill Volk during discussions about the increase, as long as the value of the house doesn't go up.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Seniors get help at the pump in Georgetown, Westville

GEORGETOWN – Georgetown Township Supervisor Penny Holycross and Casey's General Store in Georgetown and Westville are teaming up for a second year to help seniors and disabled people fill their gas tanks this winter.

Between Dec. 3 and Feb. 26, Holycross will be available at each station for two hours one day a week to pump gas. (Customers pay for the gas, but not the service.)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Residents want traffic types separated on Jackson Street in Danville

DANVILLE – Residents want bicyclists, pedestrians and cars using Jackson Street but would like to see clearly defined areas for each to travel safely.

That's the top concern expressed to city officials after an open house earlier this month on the Jackson Street improvement project.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Tax increase proposal for CU's MTD gets hearing

CHAMPAIGN – Taxpayers can voice their opinions Wednesday on a new property tax proposal for the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District.

The tax levy is a 7.5 percent increase.

A hearing will be held at 3 p.m. that day at Illinois Terminal, 45 E. University Ave., C.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

State troopers to be out in force over the holiday

As motorists travel to and from their Thanksgiving get-togethers, state troopers will be out in force to crack down on speeding, drunken driving, failure to wear seat belts and other safety issues.

Troopers will be posted every 10 miles on highways the day before Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterward, according to state police Master Sgt. Brian Ley. The patrols will be from noon to 10 p.m. Nov. 26 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov 30, but state and local agencies will have extra patrols throughout the holiday weekend, he said.

Caution light should help firefighters responding in Savoy

SAVOY – The village fire department is being held up by a stop sign.

Currently, when responding to incident calls, emergency vehicles stop before turning onto Dunlap Avenue from Tomaras Avenue.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Traffic coping after section of Neil Street closed

CHAMPAIGN – Two southbound lanes of Neil Street in downtown Champaign were closed by the city Monday afternoon – and could remain closed for an extended period – because of concerns that a fire-damaged law-office building could collapse into the street.

The city closed Neil Street near the building, just south of the intersection with Main and Church streets, at 1 p.m. Monday. The sidewalk on the west side of Neil was also closed.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Hazards from fire close section of Neil Street

CHAMPAIGN – A section of Neil Street is being closed due to possible hazards from a fire that destroyed one building and damaged others Nov. 7.

Champaign fire officials announced Monday that the closure was to be completed Monday afternoon.

Engineers take another look at shared wall

CHAMPAIGN – A fire truck was once again at the scene of downtown's Metropolitan Building Sunday, but only for a structural check.

Engineers hired by the law firm Dobbins Fraker Tennant Joy & Perlstein re-inspected the shared wall between the firm and the Metropolitan Building, which was destroyed in a Nov. 7 fire. The law firm's three-story building at 215 N. Neil St. was heavily damaged in the fire.

Wintry conditions cause several vehicles to leave Interstate 74

ST. JOSEPH - Slushy road conditions sent several vehicles off Interstate 74 early Saturday evening.

State police were called to the area between St. Joseph and the overpass about 7 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

World traveler's top pastime: Making people feel at home

CHAMPAIGN – Elizabeth Dickerson was in Paris last weekend and Moscow in September. She'll soon make one of her regular trips to India. And she'll likely be in Europe again, or Japan or Shanghai, in the next several months.

Dickerson loves the travel and adventure and seeing new sights that come with her career as an international flight attendant.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

King Elementary cyclists get a rules roundup at bicycle rodeo

URBANA – If you're expecting lassoes and cowboy hats, you've come to the wrong place.

Instead, expect newly refurbished bicycles, helmets and accoutrements, and plenty of adults out to make sure kids know the two-wheeled rules of the road.

Danville officials, residents discuss fixes for Jackson Street

DANVILLE – Avid bicyclist Bob Bookwalter would like bike paths incorporated into a reconstruction of Jackson Street, one of the city's major north-south corridors that connects not only residential neighborhoods but also an elementary school, middle school, Danville High School and the YMCA.

"Jackson is supposed to be a corridor for bicycles, but you take your life into your own hands if you ride in that bike lane," said Bookwalter, referring to the wide shoulder along Jackson that was originally meant as a bike lane when it was built.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Veterans now have more options for their license plates

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois now offers more license-plate options for veterans.

Until this week, military plates were available only with numeric characters. Now, the plates are available in two formats: vanity, which involves a combination of letters; and personalized, which have a combination of letters and numbers.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Danville four-way stop called a success at end of trial period

DANVILLE – After 90 days without a stoplight, the decision became easy. The intersection at North Vermilion and Seminary streets will remain a four-way stop.

"The overwhelming consensus was to leave it a four-way stop," said City Engineer David Schnelle.

This summer, city officials decided to consider switching that intersection from a stoplight to a four-way stop so traffic could flow better.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Cycling concerns have Urbana in parking predicament

URBANA – Bicycle lanes or diagonal parking?

In coming weeks, Urbana aldermen likely will face a choice between those two options for Main Street between Broadway Avenue and Race Street, in the heart of downtown.

Friday, November 7, 2008

'Corn Cruizer' bus line to link towns with Danville

DANVILLE – Perhaps by this time next year, the Corn Cruizer will be regularly trekking between Hoopeston and Danville, filled with people on their way to jobs, doctors' appointments or shopping trips.

Hickory to be closed at railway crossing

CHAMPAIGN – Hickory Street will be closed starting Monday at the Norfolk Southern Railway crossing between Colu- mbia Avenue and North Street.

The closure, which will last about two weeks, is being done so Norfolk Southern can construct a new crossing, according to the city's Public Works department. Another company, Open Road Paving, will be adding approach pavement and sidewalks near the crossing.

State sets 15-ton limit on bridge over ditch near Allerton

PARIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation has posted a 15-ton load limit on a bridge carrying Illinois 514 over a ditch south of Allerton. It is located at the west end of the Allerton-Sidell Road.

Traffic can detour on the north-south route connecting Illinois 49 with Allerton.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Weight limits to be set for Mansfield streets

MANSFIELD – Village trustees will meet together this month to set weight limits for Mansfield streets.

Trustee Don Deffenbaugh said he has received numerous calls about truck traffic on Newton Street during the weekends. Trustee Jeff Lindenbaum, Mayor Steve Gaines and Deffenbaugh have formed a committee to look at weight limit recommendations for all streets. They will also make plans for limited truck routes that still allow businesses to continue their operations, but protect Mansfield streets.