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Businessman struggles with state over in-town highway changes
Businesses
would have reduced access
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[August 30, 2007]
Running short on options and on
time, a Lincoln businessman put in an appearance at the Lincoln City
Council meeting on Tuesday evening. Jim Horn of J&S Auto Centre
really didn't expect anything of the council, but in a last-option
effort laid out a frustration that he has been battling with the
state.
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 Horn relocated his business to Lincoln's west side at 1006 Woodlawn
Road nearly three years ago. Last year he also agreed to host the
giant Abraham Lincoln on a covered wagon on the west end of his
property.
Woodlawn Road is also state Route 10-121. Horn's property is near
the intersection with Lincoln Parkway.
The state is preparing to make some road modifications that would
affect his business and the car wash business in that area. The
state plans include a raised concrete median and curbing that reduce
accessibility to the properties at that corner.
Horn believes this would greatly affect business at both the car
dealership and the car wash. He pointed out that less business would
reduce income for the city.
The west entry to J&S would be eliminated. The business would
then be accessible only from the east on Main Street. This would
also force traffic that would need to access property to the west to
drive over his property and the new concrete in front of his
building.
Horn requested a variance from the Illinois Department of
Transportation to just put down striping rather than the raised
median.
He contacted Rep. Rich Brauer and, with two engineers, tried to
address the issue with the state. It has not gotten anywhere.
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He was told that the modifications are related to the number of
rear-end collisions that occur at the corner.
He has submitted a request for the study on the accidents that
led to the decision. That is pending, but he doubts that he will get
the information in time before construction begins.
Mayor Beth Davis conferred with city engineer Mark Mathon, who
confirmed that the roadway is state jurisdiction and the city has no
say what they do there. But she offered that the city would be
willing to support his business and put in a word if he could find a
place that it would be heard.
He was asked to keep the city informed and wished luck.
[Jan
Youngquist]
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