Quincy Memorial Bridge – US 24 Phase I Study

Adams County, Illinois/Marion County, Missouri

Public Information Meeting #1

December 9, 2014 – Quincy, Illinois

The first public information meeting for the Quincy Memorial Bridge – US 24 Phase IStudy was held on December 9, 2014 at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center in Quincy, IL. At this meeting, the project study area, general project information and existing conditions were presented to the publicthrough an open house format, with exhibit boards set up throughout the meeting room. A handout describing the project and history, explaining the study process and promoting public inputwas provided to all attendees. The Illinois Department of Transportation’s Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) approach was also presented, including a description of the community advisory group role. Several members of the Project Study Group, including IDOT staff members were present and available for discussion with the public. The meeting was held from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

The meeting was attended by 12 Project Study Group members and 72 stakeholders.

Following is a breakdown of stakeholder attendance that signed in:

Stakeholder Type No.

Nearby Resident 7

Business - IL18

Business - MO3

Media3

City of Quincy6

Missouri DOT1

Adams County 2

Quincy Planning Commission2

Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce1

Quincy Bike Club3

Quincy Park District 1

Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials2

Local Citizens23

TOTAL72

All attendees were asked upon signing-in if they were interested in participating on a Community Advisory Group, 25 stakeholders signed up to participate.

The public comment period ended on December 23, 2014. A total of 16 written comments were received, 14 were received at the meeting and 2 additional comments were received via email following the meeting. The comments provided by stakeholders in attendance are summarized as follows:

Public Comments Received

  1. Concernswith the possibility of moving the bridge crossing location south causingthe loss of their residence. (2 individuals)
  1. Suggestionfor replacing the bridge versus improving existing.
  1. Suggestionfor a new eastbound bridge that can handle overweight loads.
  1. Recommended a new bridge with 2 travel lanes, shoulders and a bike/pedestrian walkway, period lighting similar to uptown Quincy, span over the West Quincy levee and a connection at 3rd Street.
  1. Suggested a bridge alignment in the 2nd to 3rd Street on York Street to minimize impacts to businesses, mirror of the Bayview Bridge.
  1. Suggested the need to address both east and west approaches and grade issues alongwith accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists.
  1. Questioned why a 4-lane bridge wasn’t built in 1986 and indicated a need for improved access to Quincy and I-72 from the west.
  1. Suggested a new bridge that is as wide as the existing Bayview Bridge.
  1. Need to make sure improvements take into account all modes of transportation to ensure safety and other positive impacts in and around the community.
  1. Recommended itemizing the positive and negative aspects of the existing bridge and developing planning parameters including: limiting grades in Quincy to 5% max, providing improved access to Blessing’s emergency facilities, the Broadway St. corridor, hotels, the Historic Quincy Business District, the Oakley Lindsay Center and the south Quincy industrial area, maintain access to the Quincy riverfront, ensuring the Missouri approach is above the Fabius levee, and minimizing the use of the Bayview Bridge for eastbound traffic during construction.
  1. Suggested the bridge be located at the intersection of 3rd and Maine Street, near the top of the hill, if the existing bridge can be closed during construction. Also suggested that Maine Street may need to become an east/west four lane street due to congestion on Broadway.

Throughout the Quincy Memorial Bridge Phase IStudy process, there will be several opportunities for stakeholders and the general public to provide additional comments, including Community Advisory Group meetings, Bridge Focus Groupmeetings and public meetings.

US 24 - Quincy Memorial Bridge Public Meeting #1 Summary – CMT, Inc. 3/6/15 Page 1 of 2