The possible closing of Broadway south of Seventh Street shouldn’t impact access to and from downtown, several downtown business owners said.
A request from Shawnee Milling Co. has been submitted to City Manager Brian McDougal, city commissioners and others to close the street permanently between south of Seventh and Farrall.
Business owners don’t seem worried about Broadway being shut down.
“I really don’t think there may be a problem,” Debbie Campbell, co-owner of Serendipity Boutique & Home Decor, said. “There are so many different directions you can go anyway. I don’t think it’s that big a deal.”
She said she has driven that way a few times, but also can understand why the Mill would want to close the road.
“I can see why they would want to do that. I don’t have a problem with it,” Campbell said. “I’m not sure of how much public traffic goes through there.”
People won’t have to go too far out of the way to get into downtown, even with Broadway closed, she said.
“I don’t think people would miss it that much,” Campbell said.
Chris Geer, Go Consulting Services co-owner, echoed Campbell’s thoughts.
“I would not see that as any problem. From what I see most of the traffic flow is down Main,” he said. “If they go north or south, they use Beard.”
Geer said he was surprised this hasn’t been done already.
“I would not be opposed to it,” he said.
This would not impact the business at all, Geer added.
“I wouldn’t image it would hurt business downtown,” he said. “I don’t believe it would have a negative impact.”
Ronny Jones, of Jones Theatres, said this decision would not impact the theaters downtown either.
“It wouldn’t impact my business or my traffic pattern in any way,” he said. “The main artery is Beard now, so I think that would be sufficient for north/south traffic.”
Chuck Mills, president of Mills Machine Co., and former mayor, said this topic came up when he was mayor as well.
“I remember when I was mayor, we had a discussion with Bill Ford, to putting warning lights because they had a lot of foot traffic,” Mills said. “We were willing to help.”
That project didn’t happen, but it’s not surprising this topic has come up again, he said.
“They’re a big enough entity downtown, they’ve been there so long,” Mills said. “Most of the traffic is a lot of trucks and Mill traffic specifically. It probably warrants closing that off. There’s enough streets to get to Farrall or downtown.”
Closing that street shouldn’t be a problem, he said.
“I think that it would be safer and give them a greater opportunity to be more efficient,” Mills said. “We should have probably done that a long time ago. I don’t have a problem with it.”
John Krywicki, Shawnee city engineer, said a special Traffic Commission meeting will be held Feb. 15. He said after the Traffic Commission determines its recommendation regarding the request, that recommendation will be presented to city commissioners, who will make the final decision regarding closing the roadway.
Krywicki said it is unlikely commissioners will see the item on their agenda before March.
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Josh Burton may be reached by calling 214-3926.
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The possible closing of Broadway south of Seventh Street shouldn’t impact access to and from downtown, several downtown business owners said.
A request from Shawnee Milling Co. has been submitted to City Manager Brian McDougal, city commissioners and others to close the street permanently between south of Seventh and Farrall.
Business owners don’t seem worried about Broadway being shut down.
“I really don’t think there may be a problem,” Debbie Campbell, co-owner of Serendipity Boutique & Home Decor, said. “There are so many different directions you can go anyway. I don’t think it’s that big a deal.”
She said she has driven that way a few times, but also can understand why the Mill would want to close the road.
“I can see why they would want to do that. I don’t have a problem with it,” Campbell said. “I’m not sure of how much public traffic goes through there.”
People won’t have to go too far out of the way to get into downtown, even with Broadway closed, she said.
“I don’t think people would miss it that much,” Campbell said.
Chris Geer, Go Consulting Services co-owner, echoed Campbell’s thoughts.
“I would not see that as any problem. From what I see most of the traffic flow is down Main,” he said. “If they go north or south, they use Beard.”
Geer said he was surprised this hasn’t been done already.
“I would not be opposed to it,” he said.
This would not impact the business at all, Geer added.
“I wouldn’t image it would hurt business downtown,” he said. “I don’t believe it would have a negative impact.”
Ronny Jones, of Jones Theatres, said this decision would not impact the theaters downtown either.
“It wouldn’t impact my business or my traffic pattern in any way,” he said. “The main artery is Beard now, so I think that would be sufficient for north/south traffic.”
Chuck Mills, president of Mills Machine Co., and former mayor, said this topic came up when he was mayor as well.
“I remember when I was mayor, we had a discussion with Bill Ford, to putting warning lights because they had a lot of foot traffic,” Mills said. “We were willing to help.”
That project didn’t happen, but it’s not surprising this topic has come up again, he said.
“They’re a big enough entity downtown, they’ve been there so long,” Mills said. “Most of the traffic is a lot of trucks and Mill traffic specifically. It probably warrants closing that off. There’s enough streets to get to Farrall or downtown.”
Closing that street shouldn’t be a problem, he said.
“I think that it would be safer and give them a greater opportunity to be more efficient,” Mills said. “We should have probably done that a long time ago. I don’t have a problem with it.”
John Krywicki, Shawnee city engineer, said a special Traffic Commission meeting will be held Feb. 15. He said after the Traffic Commission determines its recommendation regarding the request, that recommendation will be presented to city commissioners, who will make the final decision regarding closing the roadway.
Krywicki said it is unlikely commissioners will see the item on their agenda before March.
———
Josh Burton may be reached by calling 214-3926.
