Audit reveals need for safety improvements on Business Loop 70 in Columbia
Erika McGuire
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The City of Columbia and CBB Transportation Solutions conducted a walk-through safety audit on Tuesday afternoon to survey the Business Loop 70 corridor between the roundabout near Creasy Springs Road and Stadium Boulevard.
The audit focused on identifying safety improvements aimed at eliminating traffic-related deaths and serious injuries. The project prioritizes safer conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, seniors, motorcyclists and school-aged children.
“The purpose of these two days is to try to be on the ground, observing from a number of different perspectives and try to categorize all those things,” CBB Engineering Project Lead Shawn Leight said.
From 2019-25, Leight says, there were four deadly crashes all involving motorcyclists, making safety improvements a significant need. One occurred on May 16.
The findings from the audit highlighted specific areas along the corridor where targeted safety improvements are needed, including adjusting the signal timing at Business Loop 70 and Stadium Boulevard on Saturdays during sporting events at Cosmo Park.
“Look at the signal timing at the north out road and stadium so thats one” Leight said. “The signal isn’t timed for that traffic to flush out of the park,”
The audit also found adding crosswalks to parts of the corridor for pedestrians but also students who attend Hickman High School.
“There’s pockets of residential in here that are within a two mile radius, so one of things we’re going to go back and look at where are their residential areas,” Leight said. “What is the path that those kids take to walk to school, I think that’s important to know.”
“If I am walking the corridor, we’re safe, we’re fine. If I have to cross where do I cross safely?” Leight said. “Part of it is infrastructure, part of it’s behavior , if we’ve got somebody drive 70 miles per hour, that’s not safe,”
Filling in gaps in the sidewalk along the south side of the corridor was also identified as a necessary improvement. The north side has a full stretch of sidewalk.
According to Allison Anderson with the City of Columbia, the project is estimated to cost more than $2 million and will be funded through a Safe Streets grant. Federal funding for the project was canceled twice before finally being approved.
Additional walk-throughs along other parts of Business Loop 70 are scheduled for Wednesday. After that, a full report will outline the recommended safety improvements.