Bunn Park Neighborhood Association

City of Springfield hearing from residents about much needed infrastruture improvments. Streets. Sidewalks. Curbs. Sewer systems railroad crossings  Street and Alley lighting. Traffic signals Truck Route concerns. much of this modernization is needed throughout Springfield the heaveist of need being in Wards 2 & 3 where there has been very little progress in improving these areas in 60 years.

click on Build Springfield to learn more about plans for major infrastructure improvements citywide. 

April 2010 Support Routing High-Speed Rail (High Volume Freight Traffic) Through the 10th Street Rail Corridor,  NOT Through the Middle of Downtown, the middle of our Beautiful Illinois State Capital Campus and through the growing and even more promising Mid-Illinois Regional Medical District.  Springfield has finally gotten its act together coordinating plans for a Regional Transportation Center on Eleventh Street.  Such plans have coordinated future needs of the Sangamon County Complex, expansion of the Prairie Capital Convention Center and includes rail, bus, and taxi service all in close proximity to facilitate efficient transportation in central Illinois.  Now Union Pacific is saying, essentially:  "We intend to bulldoze whatever it takes to run two rail lines through Third Street.  If that means we need to put concrete overpasses that will stretch for blocks in either direction in order to push up to 60 freight and passenger trains through the Third Street corridor every day, that's no problem for us.  It's our right to do it, and we plan to.  It's more profitable for us than 10th Street and we don't care what Springfield has planned" That additional rail traffic on 3d street tracks will not be a good thing for our community and you see union pacific wants to recieve our money federal dollars to do what it wants to do in our community and to hell with what we want. That is not right!  Learn More About Rail Corridor Study at www.springfieldrailroad.com

Article Jan. 2010

We have a few important safety concerns that have been communicated to the City of Springfield to do with traffic. There are two intersections which have an increased level of traffic. (1) The intersection of 11TH & ASH streets have traffic signals that are at times difficult to see do in part to sunlight and there location. To make this safe the the City must make improvements to such as placing the signals on standards that position them over the roadway in front of motorist include left turn signals in all directions.                                                               

(2) The intersection of 15TH & ASH streets  is serving an increased level of traffic with only a four way stop sign. We ask that the City of Springfield include this intersection in any comprehensive infrastructure improvement plans which would include the installation of a traffic signal here as traffic is stacked nearly a block mainly on Ash St. look at mabe using left turn signals as well for this location due to some visability concerns. 

January 2009
City of Springfield proposed FY2010 incudes $1 Million dollars from Public Works not a good sign for continued level of service throughout the city. Older neighborhoods mostly on the east side will feel the pinch even more then others as this part of town has historicly been over looked. Public Works is set reduce or eleminate services that shows signs of in progress in our community.  zoning inspection and enforcement. Leaf and Yard waste removel. Branch pick ups. Neighborhood clean ups. reduced sidewalk maintainance and installations. Street overlays. Public Works then will be forced into a hiring freeze using few workers pressed to do more with less.  The people of this community expect a level of service which will insure safe and clean neighborhoods The Springfield City Council  is trying to cut its way out of this economic strangulation without asking residents to pay a little more for what cost more in this down economy everyone pays more these days. The cost of fuel has a serious effect on service public works provides using the same money. The cost of everything is on the rise as everyone knows when oil prices rise for example all petroleum based material such as asphalt rise as well. not to mention Public Works operating vehicals and other equipment  same 20 or more  years old. The safety of Public Works employees in the field will soon be affected by these deep cuts. The Public for which this department serves should speak out against these sever cuts as well as think about what it might take to maintain the current level of service. More money will be needed in the future to expand many of the services we have today. In truth public works is in need of an additional $1 Million dollars not less so we may need to consider that we might have to pay a little more for it through some limited sales tax increase. no property tax increase.  The people of our community must understand that serious decisions must be made about our infrastructure and it will cost us some money to build and modernize areas throughout our city.  We can do what has been done so well in that past put it all on the next generation. Pay as it falls apart and then complian about it. Let's do what is right! Every resident of the City of Springfield should be ready to support a Comprehensive Infrastructure Improvement Plan that shall bring jobs increased value to our neighborhoods and community.  The Springfield City Council must decide to seriously invest in our community where it is needed most and not turn there backs on the residents of this community who happen to live in what is considered east Springfield much of which are in wards 2 and 3. We would like our neighborhoods clean safe pedestrian friendly places we can take pride in.......