Urbana council approves Lincoln Avenue road-diet demonstration, sets demonstration target for 2025

The Urbana City Council voted Oct. 14 to approve resolution 2024-09-063R, a resolution for improvement under the Illinois Highway Code using state motor fuel tax funds to support a road-diet demonstration on Lincoln Avenue between Washer Drive and Killarney Street.

Justin Swinford of Public Works described the effort as a demonstration project to test a safer cross-section on a corridor currently operating as four lanes, with average daily traffic in the 14,000–16,000 range. He said staff pursued an SS4a implementation grant but were awarded demonstration funding; the demonstration is meant to index real-world impacts and guide a later, larger construction project. “The demonstration portion of the project is…an enhanced form of community engagement to get people aware of what we’re proposing,” Swinford said.

Staff said the demonstration would provide concentrated observation and data collection (traffic, pedestrian crossings and bus interactions), with a target demonstration period in 2025 and phase-2 design work in 2026. If funding and environmental clearances align, full construction could start in 2027. Council members asked about peak-event impacts (notably football traffic), exit criteria the city would use to reverse changes if necessary, and minority/WBE requirements for a federally funded implementation contract. Swinford said pavement striping for the demonstration could be removed quickly if needed and that permanent infrastructure decisions would follow further study.

The motion to approve the resolution was moved by Councilmember Charice and seconded by Councilmember James. The clerk recorded the roll call votes as Yes from Miss Wu, Mister Evans, Miss Hersey, Miss Colasetti, Miss Bishop, Miss Wilkin and Mister Quisenberry; the motion passed.

Why it matters: The demonstration is intended to test safety interventions on a corridor with a high crash-priority score and will inform future funding applications and design choices. The council asked staff to consider timing to capture representative traffic patterns and to specify evaluation criteria tied to safety and functionality.

Ending: Staff will return with additional design detail and timing; construction remains contingent on further funding and federal environmental clearances.