Time is passing as the “dying embers” of November approach. Completion of the Sheridan Road Bridge cannot come soon enough. The Cottage District traffic circles have been completed. We are busy installing temporary speed humps on Barker with the ensuing metrics.
Again, this street lies smack-dab in the middle of one of the most densely populated zip codes in the State, adjacent to a university campus. If the humps are well received, I will place them in the budget to be made permanent next year.
Currently, I have tasked Staff with the job of developing a nonreactive way of assessing where cell towers may go in our City and what they can look like. Much valuable input came from the representatives of the West Bluff Council during its September meeting. Verizon is proposing a huge tower behind the Innovation Center on West Main. Bradley University has no dog in the hunt, and they indicate that they very much want to proceed in accord with the wishes of our community. I believe there is a middle ground which allows us to protect our heritage neighborhoods and meets the needs of cell phone users. December is the month for a coherent report back.
BU VP Gary Anna was at the September WBC Meeting and indicated that an almost 90 million dollar project may commence in 2017 with the new Convergence Center, placing the schools of business and engineering under one roof. I have stressed to BU officials the need to share their plans once they gel. Gary Anna assured all of us that this would happen. This new structure will face Main Street and have a plaza.
Finally, we will have yet another colloquium in 2017 to unveil a design for the new Douglas A. Macarthur Bridge. This new bridge will be a key transition area between two proud Council districts. I am confident that it will be a huge plus for our City. The bridge now has a rating of 8 out of 100 for structural integrity!!! It has been disintegrating for many years. It will be constructed in all likelihood in 2018.
I want to thank all of you for your engagement and want to thank At-Large Councilors Jensen and Ruckriegel for their assistance in D2 and their service to our City.
Best wishes, Chuck