MOLINE, Ill. — Moline is considering building two roundabouts at intersections on 7th Avenue in downtown. If approved, one would be at the 18th Street intersection and the other at the 15th Street intersection.
Moline City Council was hearing a presentation about the project at its meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
According to the presentation, delays at the 15th Street intersection would be reduced from 15.5 seconds to 5.5 seconds. At 18th Street, delays would increase by two seconds along 7th Avenue but would decrease by 25 seconds on 18th Street.
One of the roundabouts would go right outside Spotlight Theatre.
"Like on event nights for us, congestion gets a little backed up here," Producing Director Brent Tubbs said. "I think if they do end up adding a roundabout here, without that stop sign backing everybody up, it could just kind of keep everything flowing and everybody moving in the direction they need to go."
The other part of the proposed project involves new street scaping along 7th Avenue from 15th to 19th streets. Tubbs likes the idea of a beautification project in the downtown area.
"Moline is really thriving right now with entertainment, with all of the Bass Street Landing events and it's really kind of becoming a very cultural area," he said. "Much like downtown Davenport, it's becoming a big kind of hot spot of events and places to go and a destination to be at. So yeah, making it look nice would be, would make it even better."
The 7th Avenue reconstruction project, if approved, would cost about $3.75 million. $3 million of that would be funded by a Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital program grant. The rest will be a Motor Fuel Tax and other local funding sources.
Construction would last from April to December 2025.