Design team proposes three-lane 'people-first' Prospect Road through Peoria Heights; trustees ask for decision by month-end

Hansen Professional Services presented alternative designs for Prospect Road aimed at turning the corridor into a safer, more walkable destination while retaining vehicle access and parking. The consultants recommended a three-lane section (a road diet) with parallel parking and an expanded pedestrian 'people space' (Alternative 2/3) as the preferred long-term configuration.

The consulting team — which introduced staff including Kathy P., Mike Breitbach and traffic engineer Kurt Bereski — described a process of data collection (traffic counts, pavement cores and pedestrian observations) and traffic modeling that, they said, demonstrated that a three-lane cross-section would provide similar travel-times to the current five-lane layout. "The three‑lane section functions essentially as efficiently as the current five‑lane section does," a presenter said during the meeting.

Alternatives explained: - Alternative 1: keep curbs largely in place with on‑street bike lanes and a three‑lane configuration that preserves current sidewalk width; - Alternative 2: shift space into a wider pedestrian zone (removing a through lane) to create expanded dining and streetscape areas; - Alternative 3 (design recommendation): similar to Alternative 2 but with a painted/striped center median and selective turn lanes to allow deliveries and bus movements while maximizing sidewalk space.

Trustees asked detailed questions about traffic capacity, delivery logistics, parking (parallel vs. angled), bus stops, and how bicycle access would be coordinated with the nearby Rock Island Greenway. Traffic engineer Kurt Bereski said two travel lanes could safely carry up to approximately 14,000 vehicles per day and Peoria Heights' counts in the study area were around 10,000 vehicles per day — within design thresholds used for urban, walkable corridors.

Trustees and staff discussed funding: the team noted that state or federal funding is likely necessary for construction and that early establishment of curb lines and a preferred section is required to move toward preliminary design and grant applications. The consultants requested the board to indicate a preference (three lanes vs. five lanes and parallel vs. angled parking) by the end of October to keep the design schedule and funding timeline on track.

Next steps: trustees were asked to confer with business owners and the public, provide questions to the village administrator and decide a preferred cross-section so Hansen can proceed with Phase 1 design, public engagement and grant preparation.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn directly from the meeting record and reflect the presenters’ and trustees’ statements during the public discussion.