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Proposal discussed for University Ave. to become 3 lanes near 47th St. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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HAPPENING NOW. A PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT ON A PROPOSAL TO NARROW UNIVERSVEITY AVENUE BETWEEN 47TH AND WAVELAND GOLF COURSE IN DES MOINES. OWNERS OF BUSINESSES ON UNIVERSITY IN THAT AREA WANT TO STOP THE CHANGES BEFORE THEY EVEN START. KCCI’S ALEX SCHUMAN IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE MEETIN ALEX: STACEY, THE OWNER OF THE WAVELAND CAFÉ IS OUT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AFFECTED BY THIS PROPOSAL, AND HE HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 500 SIGNATURES IN A PETITION OPPOSING IT. THE CITY SAYS THIS IS ABOUT DECREASING ACCIDENTS IN THE AREA AND MAKING IT SAFER. >> THE CARS WOULD BE PUSHED BACK CAUSE THEY’RE GOING FROM 5 LANE S TO THREE. ALEX: DAVID STONE’S DESCRIBING WHAT A NEW PROPOSAL FROM THE CITY WILL MEAN FOR HIS BUSINESS, THE WAVELAND CAFÉ. >> IT’S GOING TO AFFECT MY BUSINESS VERY NEGATIVELY. ALEX: THE CITY’S PROPOSAL NARROWS UNIVERSITY AVENUE BETWEEN 47TH AND THE WAVELAND GOLF COURSE FROM 5 LANES DOWN TO 3, THEN ADDS A 10-FOOT-WIDE TRAIL IN FRONT OF HIS CAFÉ ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CHANGE WOULD CUT PARKING I FRONT OF THESE BUSINESSES BY 50%, AND CUSTOMERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO BACK IN RATHER THAN PULL INTO THE SPOTS. >> ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS TEXTED ME THIS MORNING AND SAID SO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS MAKE THIS LIKE INGERSOLL AVENUE WITH A TOUCH OF EAST VILLAGE IN THEIR? ALEX: THE PROPOSAL WILL FIT IN WITH CONSTRUCTION ALREADY HAPPENING ON UNIVERSITY WEST OF THE WAVELAND CAFÉ. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THE CHANGE SHOULD DECREASE THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS IN THIS TWO BLOCK STRETCH. THEY SAY THERE’S BEEN MORE THAN FIFTY IN THE LAST 5 AND A HALF YEARS IN THIS AREA. THE BARBER NEXT DOOR TO THE WAVELAND, LANNIE HALE, WORRIES ABOUT HAVING THE TRAIL SO CLOSE TO HIS FRONT DOO >> THERE COULD BE SOME ACCIDENTS , I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. ALEX: STONE HAS BEEN IN THIS SPOT FOR 27 YEARS, BUT SAYS IF THE PROPOSAL GOES THROUGH AS IS, HE WOULD CONSIDER MOVING. >> WE’RE JUST NOT SURE WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS WHOLE THING IS. ALEX: CITY COUNCILMAN JOSH MANDELBAUM SAYS HE IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO FIND A SOLUTION. CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROJECT WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL 20