CASINO IMPACT REPORTED

The ornamental downtown clock, standing in the intersection of Themis and Main Street, should be moved, according to a study of the impact of a riverboat casino on Cape Girardeau.

Moving the clock is on a list of recommendations for handling increased traffic downtown as a result of the proposed downtown development by the Boyd Gaming Corp.

The report, by Horner & Shifrin, Inc., also recommends that traffic signals be installed at Main and Broadway, at Lorimier and William and at Lorimier and Morgan Oak.

And the report recommends realigning and widening Main Street north of Broadway to accommodate traffic headed to casino parking lots.

The study was received Friday by city staff members, said City Manager J. Ronald Fischer.

The study includes a number of options and perceived pros and cons.

He said staff members will evaluate the impact study this week. Then they will talk with the Horner & Shifrin staff.

The study is important because it helps map out the development agreement between the city and the Boyd Gaming Corp.

"This will be part of what they agree to pay," he said.

"There is nothing there I see that's so significant it can't be worked out," Fischer said.

The report recommends: "Relocate the historic clock from the intersection of Main Street and Themis to a location suitable for the city and remove the southbound stop signs from Main Street. Stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic on Themis Street will remain in place.

"The current location of the clock has proved to be a driving hazard with an increase in traffic on Main Street and Themis Street," according to the report. "A new location, away from the driving pavement, should be considered."

The cost of relocating the clock is estimated at $10,000. The clock was erected in 1986.

Fischer said moving the clock is not a new suggestion.

"I've heard some concern from some of the downtown merchants who say they want it to stay, and others say let's move it to Themis and Spanish," Fischer said.

He said many merchants seem more concerned that the stop sign on Main Street at Themis Street remain.

In addition to looking at traffic needs, the study also considered the impact of the new development on the city's sewer and water systems.

"The city's water system is fully adequate to support the water requirements of the casino project site," the report concludes.

The wastewater treatment plant also has adequate capacity to treat the additional waste water expected from the development and growth through 2010, according to the study.

Some improvements will be needed to serve the casino development.

The report said increased traffic resulting from the casino will not be more than the city can handle.

"The proposed casino traffic will generally not have an unfavorable effect on Cape Girardeau's existing street system," the report states. "The downtown area will notice a significant, but manageable increase in vehicular traffic and pedestrian volume."

The report says traffic traveling to the site from Interstate 55 should be directed to the second highway exit and east along William Street.

"William Street has a higher capacity than other routes and is best equipped to handle this traffic," the report states. "This would prevent potential overloading of other streets such as Broadway, which already receives university, stadium and hospital traffic. It would direct out-of-town visitors to the majority of hotels and restaurants."

Traffic traveling across the Mississippi bridge into Illinois should be discouraged from using Spanish Street and should be directed to southbound Lorimier Street for access onto eastbound Morgan Oak Street.

"This will reduce the volume of left turning traffic onto eastbound (Morgan Oak) at Spanish Street and allow the traffic to utilize proposed traffic signal at the intersection of Lorimier Street and Morgan Oak Street," the report states.