Murray city officials are pushing back the timetable on deciding the future of one of the city's busiest streets.
For months, the city has been studying options for modifying 16th St. to improve pedestrian safety while maintaining traffic flow.
16th St. cuts through Murray State University, seeing some 7,000 cars and 12,000 pedestrians a day. It has also been regarded as a dangerous path for pedestrians, who are mostly MSU students.
Toremedy this problem, the city commissioned BFW Engineers of Paducah to draw up options to modify the road, which included an over-under pedestrian bridge, an alternate route circling to the west of campus. The city has held a public information meeting for residents to voice concerns.
A feasibility report on the options was expected November 1st, but Mayor Jack Rose said he has heard concerns from city residents and university groups about the timing and feasibility of some of the proposed plans. As a result, the three options under consideration have been put aside for now.
"The University had some concerns about timing regarding some of the projects that they've got going on, and the bottom line we both share is safety," said Rose. "So I said we better slow this thing down until we're sure we can get it right."
Rose said some new ideas under consideration include closing 16th off altogether from Miller Ave. to Calloway Ave. or constructing a four-lane crossway similar to one on the Eastern Parkway through the University of Louisville.
Rose said he may confer with the city council about closing the street for only a few weeks to allow engineers to examine how it would affect traffic flow on other streets.
The city has used less than half of an $800,000 state grant for the first study and will use around $200,000 for the new one. Rose said it will now be about two to three months before the council will be ready to make a decision.
