The city of St. Louis and Saint Louis University may team up to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Forest Park Parkway and Grand Boulevard in Midtown.

The process is in the very early stages, a SLU spokesman said, and there is no guarantee that changes would be made. The university would fund a traffic study and then work with the city and a consultant to come up with new designs for the intersection at the heart of SLU's campus.

"We've got all these modes in their highest use right at this intersection," said Deanna Venker, the city's traffic commissioner. "You've got the sheer number of pedestrians, and the sidewalks are quite narrow at that point. In addition, you've have a very narrow cycle lane for all the bicyclists that are going through there as well. And then that just intermixed with buses and cars. Grand is our highest bus route."

Venker said the placement of stoplights also confuses drivers, who stop in the intersection and block traffic.

She said although the intersection is surrounded by retail and the SLU campus, the ramps that run from Forest Park Parkway to Grand provide some room for expansion, depending on the design.

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