Spring Break
Murray Street closes next week
Macomb City Council concerned about the Murray Street closure and student vandalism on Adams Street
Andrew Thomason
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News
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The Macomb City Council voted to put the measure on next week's consent agenda at Monday night's committee of the whole meeting.
"It will take well over a year for construction to be completed," said Jackie Thompson, Vice President for Student Services at Western Illinois University. "(During this time) there will always be access for emergency vehicles."
Thompson added that while Murray Street will be closed, student foot traffic will not be hindered. However, sections of the road will be closed to everyone except for construction workers to ensure a safe environment.
Several aldermen said they were concerned about the diversion of traffic that the closure will cause. Alderman-at-large Dennis Moon said he believes most traffic will be rerouted to West Adams Street.
"I think the council, with guidance from the public works department ... should consider taking parking off of Adams Street from Charles Street to Sherman Hall," Moon said.
Walter Burnett, Macomb Public Works Director, said while it is a possibility, there will be no way of knowing whether it is needed until Murray Street is closed. He added that based on traffic counts from the summer, a formal detour will not be necessary.
"(The city) needs to keep some sort of traffic counts during the closure," said Dave Dorsett, 5th Ward alderman. "I have no faith in the summer numbers."
During times when the University Union hosts large events, Thompson said there will be access to the Union parking lot.
Also discussed at the meeting was the vandalism to a chain-link fence owned by Barbara Martin of 120 W. Adams St. According to Mayor Mick Wisslead, the destruction took place around 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
"(Martin) has four surveillance cameras," Wisslead said. "The Macomb Police Department has taken the tape from the cameras and is enhancing them to identify (the perpetrators)."
He encouraged anyone who has knowledge of the incident to contact the MPD.
This is not the first time Martin has had problems with intoxicated students. According to Wisslead, students have damaged the fence in the past. After those incidents, Martin gained notoriety among Western students for guarding her property with a rubber mallet and a hose.
In the Oct. 12, 2005, issue of the Western Courier, Martin insisted she did not antagonize students but just defended her property.
"Just stay off my property and leave my dogs alone," Martin said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Tired of it too
posted 10/10/07 @ 10:45 AM CST
Im glad to see the letter from the president. My vehicle has been vandalized by a boy student. I also heard him beating on his girlfriend. Had cameras on my premises after he vandalized my vehicle. (Continued…)
Tired of it too
posted 10/11/07 @ 9:29 AM CST
911 was called! many times. She WOULD NOT PRESS charges cause shes scared of the idiot!! Do you know the law???????????????? ....BUT.....someday, she'll grow up and leave him. (Continued…)
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