SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Snarled traffic on South Glenstone Avenue is nothing new to motorists.
"Oh my gosh, sometimes it gets packed and people are crazy drivers," said Andy Romejko, who drives the area frequently.
In fact, in a citizen survey conducted by the city, traffic flow and congestion are the top concerns. Springfield's Public Works Department hopes two projects will help ease the problem.
One would widen Glenstone to six lanes from Battlefield Road to James River Freeway.
"One of our biggest challenges, if you go in that area and go shopping on a Saturday morning, you'll notice the traffic backs up on the ramps at James River Freeway all the way up to Glenstone, and you can't go north on Glenstone because there are a lot of people who hesitate and they want to make a right on Glenstone," said Kirk Juranas, assistant director of Public Works.
The work would also require some signal changes and possibly even removal. The city expects the widening to cost about $13.1 million.
The other project involves adding a diverging diamond interchange on Kansas Expressway at James River Freeway.
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Springfield looks to widen S. Glenstone, add diverging diamond on S. Kansas Expressway
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"There's a lot of turning movements and the diverging diamonds basically work to move cars through these interchanges when there's a lot of turning movements," said Juranas.
The diverging diamond would cost about $5.1 million. Public Works wants to jump on these projects now because MoDOT has increased its cost-share program. MoDOT would pay for half of both projects, and the city and Greene County would pick up the remainder.
For many drivers, these changes couldn't happen sooner.
"I think it would be good," said Romejko.
The projects need city council approval. The issues will likely go before council in May.
