Submitted by snorlaxatives_69 t3_10gys3n in springfieldMO

Does anyone know if there are plans to fix the mess that is South Campbell? Specifically around the James River section. It’s backed up no matter what time of day and there are WAY too many intersections.

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whatlaw-wasbroken t1_j55fank wrote

When the southern extension of Kansas Expressway is complete, it may alleviate some the congestion. Other than that, nope, they have bigger fish to fry as of now.

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417SKCFAN t1_j55gpyq wrote

It may redirect some congestion into residential neighborhood areas. The dumping out of this road onto a winding, narrow road down to Nixa that is known to flood will be a new bottleneck.

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VaderTower t1_j577fnp wrote

Well the long term plan is that all of those roads get bigger. You essentially always need a grid of major roads spaced no matter how residential. Everything is a residential road or a farm road until business comes with density.

Then to add to that you can do all the infrastructure at once, you have to start somewhere, and extending Kansas is already 20 years overdue.

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417SKCFAN t1_j57jwch wrote

And the plan wasn’t secret, it’s just a poor plan. A 2 lane 40 MPH road cutting through residential areas and roads and dumping into a crappy road with low water bridges is not going to do much good IMO.

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snorlaxatives_69 OP t1_j55g1xe wrote

Yeah like adding sidewalks to neighborhood roads that don’t need them lmao

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tomtom348 t1_j55u9nl wrote

imagine thinking neighborhood sidewalks are a bad thing. this is peak car brain

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snorlaxatives_69 OP t1_j55um1x wrote

Not against sidewalks in neighborhoods. There are just more pressing matters than sidewalks in low traffic neighborhoods.

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Sgthouse t1_j5610lh wrote

So why don’t you prepare a list with the order in which all of our road related problems need to be taken care of and then give it to city council?

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whatlaw-wasbroken t1_j55mljl wrote

That may be because of ADA laws. I honestly don't know what's required when it comes the ratio of sidewalk access versus streets. It also widely depends upon source of the funding. Many states and even the fed have grants for various programs. If that's the case the city doesn't have a choice on where the money goes if they accept it

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malevolentk t1_j57dfdr wrote

Well considering they keep reducing bus routes - the kids who have to walk to school or further to bus routes DO need more sidewalks

What kind of fucking planner didn’t put sidewalks everywhere anyway?

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MacAttack2015 t1_j55p0zx wrote

Just one more lane. We’ll add one more lane and that’ll fix it! Just… just the one more! That’s all it needs!

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erichkutslilpp t1_j55erfr wrote

Considering how many cars use that area, I feel like it moves decently. I can't really come up with a plan to improve it. Got any ideas?

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Sad-Investigator-155 t1_j55i09c wrote

People are forever screwing up when turning from Campbell left onto Republic. They think there are two left turn lanes and will block traffic on Campbell trying to make their left turn work out. Making that turn lane more obvious and distinct would be an easy, helpful thing.

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erichkutslilpp t1_j55idmv wrote

I agree, that bit is tricky especially if you aren't familiar with it.

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ho1doncaulfield t1_j55jrhp wrote

Or, especially if going northbound from Campbell and turning west onto Republic, the turning lane is just not long enough and cars are pushed out into the ave anyway

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snorlaxatives_69 OP t1_j55fwxs wrote

Was talking with my mom about it last night and came up with a good idea that is probably unrealistic. Take the highway underground and smooth out S Campbell and take out all this intersections

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erichkutslilpp t1_j55hwt5 wrote

Would that mean not being able to access Campbell from the freeway? Or would that access be moved?

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VaderTower t1_j579skk wrote

So you take out the intersection at 60 and Campbell. Now you can't get on or off the highway?

If you go underground you still have just as many connections you have to make to keep access, you've just inverted the problem, not fixed it.

Not to mention taking it all underground would be hundreds of millions. The existing bridge and existing infrastructure immediately around it alone is 50+ million worth.

All of that to say, every person in the city would need to pony up $1000-$2000 for that project.

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417SKCFAN t1_j55gfxd wrote

Forgot one portion, Republic road phase 4 and 5 should be kicking off this Spring, it will add 2 lanes through the intersection and add additional turn lanes, maybe will help some.

​

https://www.springfieldmo.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/18379?fileID=227496

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CelestialJackope t1_j5699gh wrote

This is the main bottleneck of the area. Campbell northbound into Republic westbound left turn lane always overflows back into the regular lane.

Easy to tell who commutes it everyday because they get in the right lane like 4 lights ahead to avoid the overflow from people turning onto Republic.

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417SKCFAN t1_j56f0ht wrote

Oh definitely, I also have gone through that most days over the past few years, but it's not just Republic road, it's also the sequence of 6 lights (Weaver, Lakewood, Camino Alto, 2 X JRF, then Republic) within 1 mile that completely destroys any flow of traffic.

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CelestialJackope t1_j56fu5h wrote

True, true. When I'm coming in from Nixa, I always hit that middle lane and take it straight through past Republic RD cause it's usually flowing pretty good. The lanes on either side are a nightmare though.

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kentfrostphoto t1_j55h4bm wrote

Calling it now. Biggest roundabout in Springfield will be Campbell and Republic Road.

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Sgthouse t1_j5616vt wrote

You’re thinking too small. Replace all the James river on/off ramps with massive roundabouts

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EngryEngineer t1_j563fzn wrote

roundabouts that all enter into a mega diverging diamond

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hystericallymad t1_j57s5ol wrote

Diverging roundabout if you will... Sounds either fun or frightening.

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chstrumpetdude t1_j55f6kv wrote

Hopefully not more stroads… they just increase traffic

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HalfADozenOfAnother t1_j55ghu7 wrote

If they had taken a lane from westbound JRF directly into the Sam's area the intersection would be much more navigable

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MotherofaPickle t1_j55v9s6 wrote

Better Walkability and Public Trans infrastructure would help.

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417SKCFAN t1_j55ejhr wrote

There's been years of talk, often centered around moving Republic Road to the North to cross Campbell, but the businesses always raise hell and it goes nowhere.

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polynesian_pineapple t1_j577muf wrote

Walnut Lawn and Campbell is a long neglected intersection too.

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veryorangely t1_j55gh5t wrote

While nothing official has been announced, this was in a recent Springfield Daily Citizen article on the future 244 interstate loop and some projects leading up to it's designation. (2029 at the earliest)

"$21 million to widen James River Freeway from Kansas Expressway to National Avenue (Target completion 2024) — This project will include bridge widening over Campbell Avenue, bridge approach replacement in the eastbound lanes between Campbell Avenue and National Avenue, and an additional median lane from Kansas Expressway to National Avenue, allowing for a total of six lanes. There will also be intersection improvements at Campbell Avenue and Republic Road. Part of this project is funded through a MoDOT cost sharing agreement with the city of Springfield."

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MicheleCha t1_j55enjj wrote

Worst intersection everrr. I wish they would fix it, it's super dangerous and I have to go through there to get home

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nautilus573 t1_j55icuz wrote

I used to visit Wichita, KS when Kellogg road was under reconstruction. Essentially what they were doing was digging the road bed down by many feet and turning it into a freeway. They were building multiple exits that you'd use to then access stretches of side roads running parallel to Kellogg to access the businesses. I always that that'd be a great option for Campbell. As for the specific intersection you mention, the businesses surrounding it will make it very difficult to turn it into a proper highway exchange. Finally, come up to Columbia and witness Highway 63 and I70 and you'll witness a true spectacle of an engineering clusterfuck.

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telxonhacker t1_j56yff1 wrote

Better timing of the lights, so you don't have one change green right as the next one changes red, I avoid this cluster at all costs. Yes, all of this city needs the traffic signal programming seriously overhauled, no more left turn arrows that stay on 1-2 seconds, no more badly synched lights, intelligent infrastructure that adjusts to actual traffic flow, etc.

A lot of the problems with Campbell seem to come down to the lack of forward thinking that didn't happen years ago. No one planned for the amount of traffic it now has, and the worst is between Sunshine and JRF. Most of the "improvements" done by the city and state are just band aids that provide a temporary fix, or no real fix at all.

Adding lanes doesn't ease congestion, it just makes it worse here is an article that gives more insight.

I've been to similar sized cities that use intelligent infrastructure in regards to traffic management, and the difference is astounding. For instance, if a small intersection that sees maybe 1000 cars a day suddenly is getting 100 cars a minute due to traffic diverting from a wreck elsewhere, the lights adapt to the higher volume and work to clear out the intersections, once traffic drops back to normal, they adjust to their regular settings. Bad weather will cause the lights to stay on slightly longer, especially yellow lights, to help prevent people from stopping hard.

The state and city wouldn't even have to change every intersection, at least initially, but focus on the heaviest ones first.

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417SKCFAN t1_j57k66x wrote

Campbell isn’t a Springfield owned or managed road, thank MODOT.

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telxonhacker t1_j57kyco wrote

I know, that's why I said city and state. Depending on the road or intersection

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sgf-guy t1_j58updb wrote

I found the wormhole and hit ZERO lights that stretch SB today. It was 5p. That’s NEVER happened before.

A lack of overall master planning is the big issue in that section and it will prob never get better.

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Additional_Pin_1323 t1_j568hjb wrote

I was in a hit and run accident on Monday evening at Campbell and Republic Rd. That intersection is always a mess.

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Always_0421 t1_j57gjc0 wrote

Cracks me up when people move to nixa and complain about traffic at Campbell and 60 or to.l Ozark and throw a fit about traffic on 65 on Wednesday evenings.

Like cmon man, did you not pay attention when you were buying or just think "its not thay bad" and it wears on you?

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snorlaxatives_69 OP t1_j57jk2x wrote

Lived here most my life. Stay off the juice

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Always_0421 t1_j57jtty wrote

I wasn't necessarily even referring to you, although, tbf, I did make that assumption because most people who have "lived here their whole life" are just used to it and are able to navigate without much issue

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PCMR_GHz t1_j57x3vl wrote

Yes. They are going to tear down the bridge and redo the entire intersection in the near future.

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