Carbondale council asks for more data after HSIP presentation on Grand Avenue road diet and multiuse path

Carbondale City Council on July 8 heard a presentation on an Illinois Department of Transportation Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant of $302,130 to design changes to Grand Avenue from Washington Street to east of Wall Street. The design would reduce vehicular travel lanes from four to three, add a dedicated center left‑turn lane, build a shared‑use path for pedestrians and bicyclists and make ADA improvements where sidewalks meet new pavement.

The project consultant said the design — a standard “road diet” — aims to reduce conflict points and improve pedestrian crossings near the Student Recreation Center and adjacent residence halls. “This is a safer crossing than what’s there now,” the project consultant said, noting the plan includes a HAWK signal at one crossing and refuge islands at others. The consultant cited crash data from 2014–2018 (about 14 documented crashes) and later reports showing continuing collisions through 2021 to justify the HSIP submission. The consultant also described expected travel‑time increases for some turning movements (examples used in the presentation ranged from about 25 seconds to a worst‑case scenario of roughly 225 seconds).

Council members and staff acknowledged the improvement in pedestrian and bicycle access, and the grant panel’s assessment that the corridor meets HSIP criteria. Council member Lowes criticized the proposed right‑in/right‑out components and the replacement of a two‑way left‑turn lane, describing the right‑in/right‑out as “the worst thing in the world” and saying it could increase speeds and the lethality of collisions if drivers use the extra pavement to drive faster. Lowes urged the council to avoid changes that make the street “worse.” Council member Kilman and others pressed for comparative data on rerouted traffic and impacts to major thoroughfares (U.S. 51 and Illinois 13), and asked for more detail on the amount the city would be required to match.

Staff said HSIP grants are typically 90/10 (IDOT covers 90 percent and the city covers 10 percent), and that the city’s final cost estimate is not yet complete. The project timeline described by staff places design in FY2026, with anticipated bidding in late 2026 and construction in 2027; the shared‑use path is intended to tie into the Piles Fork Greenway path project. Several council members asked staff to provide additional traffic diversion analysis showing where diverted traffic would travel and data comparing crash rates at similar intersections.

After discussion, council did not vote on the design or the grant at the meeting. Council members requested follow‑up information and reached consensus to return the item with additional data. The council asked staff to provide estimated city matching costs, projected traffic diversion volumes and travel‑time impacts on nearby major corridors, and comparisons to other intersections for prioritization purposes.

What happened next: staff will return with the requested data for further council review before any formal commitment to proceed with construction funding.