@goob : There's beauty at that intersection? I guess I'm too busy looking for/avoiding jaywalkers.

@AntiRanchDrssng : You're right. The city should put a traffic light at every street and driveway. Maybe that'll help.

I've been through this intersection many times and have never experienced anything out of the ordinary. Sure it takes awhile to get through it sometimes, but never a real hassle. Just slow. But it is a major intersection on a MAIN street, with a major UNIVERSITY very near by. There are a few ways to avoid this intersection if it really bothers people so much, especially impatient drivers.

@CCubs : I seem to remember it as regular occurrence that Bradley students were getting hit and killed along there. I assume that it has improved?

@kraziebill : We spend millions re-vamping the area to make it more pedestrian friendly by designing a well hated intersection that benefits them, but they can't bring themselves to walk an extra half block to use it to ensure everyone's safety.

Like I said before, I have been through that intersection many times and have never seen anyone jaywalking or causing troubles. My advice to anyone who is troubled or annoyed by this intersection is to avoid it. There are alternative routes.

I do. But in the evening people park in the campus town lot and sprint across Main to Thanh Lin and One World. You can sit at one of those two and watch it all.night.long.

@AntiRanchDrssng : All that lost ticket revenue

@mypeez : Yes, no deaths and no serious injuries.

@AntiRanchDrssng : Are you sure that you aren't exaggerating a bit?

From the PJStar:
PEORIA - In recent years, Avanti's ownership and the city of Peoria considered ways to maximize the local restaurant's presence on the West Bluff.Before the pandemic, that included exploring an expansion to include rooftop or balcony dining. Just last summer, Avanti's owner Stefan Zeller and the city contemplated how they could redesign the entrances and exits from the property on West Main Street to make it easier for patrons to access.Changes to adjacent streets to make the area safer and more walkable for pedestrians had simultaneously created an undesirable driving and parking experience for many trying to access Avanti's.The location wasn't working for the business.Zeller announced over the weekend that his Main Street store would close after more than a half century - over two buildings - near Bradley University's campus. It was enough of a fixture for generations of students that out-of-area alumni events regularly featured Avanti's signature bread.Redesign of intersection at University and Main streets affected business
The Avanti's Ristorante location at Main and University streets across from Bradley University is closing.
The circumstances that led to the closure started years ago.A water main break in September 2013 involving century-old pipes damaged the intersection, sparking a community conversation over improvements. Neighbors long had felt the area was dangerous for pedestrians and motorists alike, including lingering memories of the 2008 death of 21-year-old Bradley student Robert Hurt, who was struck and killed after tumbling into the street as he and friends walked on the sidewalk near the intersection in the early morning hours.City Councilman Chuck Grayeb, who represents the West Bluff, said when the intersection was redone, the No. 1 priority was safety.The $2.6 million reconstruction was designed to slow traffic by reducing the number of lanes and adding a speed table at the intersection. The goal was also to reduce traffic by about one-third, eliminating the intersection as a cut-through by motorists heading downtown. In the year after the renovated intersection opened in May 2014, the number of accidents was similar to a typical year - about 50 - but none involved injuries."There have not been any deaths or serious injuries since. That's the most important," Grayeb said. The president of the West Bluff Council, Conrad Stinnett, agreed."I'd rather have people sit a minute or two at the stoplight and have a functional pedestrian intersection," he said.Restaurant's history:Once a college hangout, Avanti's has grown to multiple locationsBut Zeller cited the redesigned intersection slowing traffic in the area as one of the reasons for the closure. The entrance and exit to Avanti's parking lot is closer to the intersection than that of any other nearby business, and it's the only one that has a single point of access to parking."We were involved with providing feedback and concerns over the planning of the intersection," Zeller said. "We agreed the plan was good for pedestrian traffic but not for our business. University was widened in 1989 to support more traffic and now the city constricted it again. Ever since the renovation of that intersection, our dine-in business was severely impacted."Avanti's explored expansion
The Avanti's Ristorante location at Main and University streets across from Bradley University is closing.
Urich said the city had also talked to Avanti's about possibly expanding, though before COVID hit in 2020.The company was looking to acquire additional property and possibly have rooftop or balcony dining on the building."We did consider looking at alternative locations as well as building a new restaurant, but that did not materialize due to (Bradley Christian fellowship organization) Chi Alpha not wanting to sell their property," Zeller said.He added that indoor dining at the site had remained closed due in part to the pandemic, and that the company had planned interior improvements."We were going to remodel that dining area, however due to the uncertainty of revenue during the pandemic, we chose to keep it closed," Zeller said.The company has two other restaurants in Peoria, at 4711 N. Rockwood Drive and 8517 Knoxville Ave., as well as sites in East Peoria and Pekin, which have been open for dine-in business.A part of Peoria:What should every Peoria resident do or try at least once? Here are 5 things'Huge expense' to redesign entrance
The Avanti's Ristorante location at Main and University streets across from Bradley University is closing.
Last year, plans to revamp the entrance and exit to the Main Street site were stymied by high costs, Zeller told the Journal Star. One of those options was to widen or alter the entrances and exits from the property. But the redesign proved to be a non-starter, he said."We explored various opportunities with the city, however after meeting with engineers it became impractical to construct a new point of ingress and egress, primarily due to a huge expense," Zeller said.Avanti's Peoria:Avanti's to close prominent location in Peoria. Here's whyHe said he began considering a revamped parking lot last August and met with City Manager Patrick Urich to discuss what it would entail. As Zeller explored it more, he found that even after applying for grants to help offset construction costs, the price tag would have been too high for the company."We were going to apply, but I was informed it was only up to $50,000, which would not have covered even half the cost," he said.Hungry for a trip?:Here are 5 Illinois restaurants worth the drive from PeoriaOther challenges added to the decision to close
Throw in changing demographics and difficulty finding staff and it was a perfect storm that led to the iconic store's closure.Urich agreed. "They have said, and rightly so, the way that people are dining and shopping at that location has changed. There was also a year when there are no Bradley students on campus. And it's been really difficult to find people for staffing."

"it's the only one that has a single point of access to parking."They have had an exit onto Elmwood since 2014. Their staff, their delivery trucks, and customers make regular use of it. There are plenty of businesses that have no parking at all. Curiously they do fine.

@Mahkno : Who was the reporter?

@CCubs : Go sit at Thanh Lin on a nice Saturday evening. Get a window seat. Start counting.

@Mahkno : Andy Kravetz.