PEORIA, Ill. – The Peoria City Council approved plans Tuesday night for a small shopping center that would be developed at the corner of University Street and War Memorial Drive. The plans include a Dutch Bros Coffee at the intersection.
Issues with traffic were brought up by the planning and zoning commission ahead of the council meeting, but the council did vote for a motion from their newest member, requiring no traffic study.
The council gave the developers the go ahead to begin initial development of the shopping center, which could also include another drive-thru in the future.
Traffic concerns were raised throughout the council’s discussion.
Alex Carmona, from District 2, moved to approve the proposal without making developers do a traffic study. Carmona also called for changing part of the plan to restrict access to and from N. University Street, moving to give the developer open access to the road.
Mayor Rita Ali was the only no vote.
“I’m concerned about the safety at not restricting the access to University for right in and right out only. Other than that, I’m excited about the development,” Ali said.
City staff has said a traffic study might not be necessary if developers were given unrestricted road access. Since the council has approved that, Peoria would have to pay for a study if it was done later.
Third District Council member Tim Riggenbach said he remembers other times when traffic concerns were brought up, but they weren’t really a problem.
“Drivers are oftentimes smarter than we give them credit for. And, if I’m trying to make a left turn and I sit there for an inordinate amount of time, the next time I go there, I’m going to make a right,” Riggenbach said.
Developer Nathan Heinrich told the council he believes Dutch Bros coffee will help make the overall development safe.
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