The Town of Normal is extending the temporary closure of a pedestrian-heavy stretch of School Street near Illinois State University as it gathers more data for potential permanent changes.
School Street between College Avenue and Mulberry Street will stay closed until summer. Southbound traffic on School Street can only turn west; northbound can only turn east.
“The feedback in general has been mixed,” said Ryan Otto, Normal’s director of engineering and public works. “In general, pedestrians really like it. It feels safer in the space. Drivers find it very inconvenient.”
This intersection is rare in Normal, Otto said, because it sees more pedestrians than vehicle traffic. Town and ISU staff will spend the spring semester gathering more data about usage, while making tweaks to signage to make the new configuration more intuitive to navigate.
“The Town and Illinois State heard many comments about this intersection,” Adam McCrary, director of Environmental Health and Safety at ISU, said in a statement. “We understand the closure created challenges for drivers. We want the community to know their concerns have been heard. Pedestrians voiced strong support for this effort. Our goal is to balance the needs of those using the space and make decisions that are the best for the community.”
If the town decides to pursue permanent changes, that would involve reconfiguring the traffic signals in the area and additional signage, Otto said. One possible adjustment: Driver feedback says they want to be able to turn north onto School from Mulberry.
“That would be a change we’d definitely consider, and I think would be a good change to the current configuration as we have it now,” Otto said.
The School Street closure was part of a broader effort to improve pedestrian safety around the ISU campus by testing temporary changes in various locations. One change that’s already been made permanent is turning Broadway and Beaufort Street in Uptown Normal into a four-way stop.
“That change has been positively received from both drivers and pedestrians. Drivers have told us they think it’s more intuitive, and pedestrians feel safer with both the curb bumpouts and the four-way stop control,” Otto said.
