Peoria undrivability report: Bad for business

September 1, 2009
By Billy Dennis

Kudos to Journal Star columnist/reporter Terry Bibo for not giving up on the story on how the Illinois Department of Transportation is screwing over Peoria by clogging up major intersections and roads all at once:

Local business owners say they didn’t realize the Illinois Department of Transportation was expanding its ever-growing list of road projects to Illinois Route 40/Knoxville Avenue between Illinois Route 6 and Lindbergh Drive. Once flashing orange signs appeared a week or so ago, they tried to adapt quickly.

“It seems like when they tear up the roads it’s all at the same time,” said Wendy Smith, owner of Wendy’s Eyeglass Shack, 8424 N. Knoxville. “I wish they could space it out a little better.”

Remember those businesses that used to be located at the intersection of North Gale and West Forrest Hill? Well, there was before years-long road work on that intersection (as well as poor city planning) drove businesses to move or close.

Folks, we’re in the middle of the recession. Making it almost impossible to drive to local businesses is no way to “stimulus” us out of the recession. This has the stench of having to destroy the village in order to save it.

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4 Responses to “ Peoria undrivability report: Bad for business ”

  1. Amy Kennard on September 2, 2009 at 11:57 am

    It’s also bad for some of the schools. The Bus Transportation office apparently hasn’t yet received the memo that it’s taking school buses much longer to navigate the construction in order to arrive at school on time. My son has been late to school every day this year.

  2. Billy Dennis on September 2, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    What can the district do? If they start too early, parents complain. And the sriving situation changes DAILY.

  3. Mahkno on September 2, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    “screwing over Peoria by clogging up major intersections and roads all at once”

    Yeah… you are right. Let’s just leave the potholes for next year.

  4. Mahkno on September 2, 2009 at 3:28 pm

    With our low 12+% unemployment, we can do without the extra jobs too. The eyeglass surely provides much higher paying jobs than road repairmen.