The Rapid City Planning Commission recommended Dec. 5 that the City Council amend the Major Street Plan to reclassify a segment of Creek Drive between East Anamosa Street and South Dakota Highway 44 from a minor arterial to a collector.

Kip Harrington, long-range planning, told commissioners that the existing configuration — which would otherwise create a short stretch that alternates arterials and collectors — makes more sense as a continuous collector between the two termini. Staff and engineers cited close spacing between parallel routes (Campbell, Creek and Mickelson), offset intersections that prevent signalization at the SD Highway 44 crossing, and the presence of high-voltage transmission lines near the roadway that would make arterial widening costly and technically difficult. The infrastructure-design criteria manual was cited to note that collectors require significantly less right-of-way than minor arterials.

Commissioners asked for clarification of the functional difference between collectors and arterials; staff explained collectors funnel neighborhood traffic to arterials and require narrower right-of-way and pavement. Vince moved to approve the plan amendment as presented; Brooks seconded and the motion carried by voice vote. The recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action.