Lakeport Commons intersection could get safety study - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

If you shop in Sioux City, you know traffic can get congested around Lakeport Commons.

City officials say the Sergeant Road/South Lakeport intersection sees about 31,000 vehicles a day. In three years time, they say they've had 47 collisions.

Help could be on the way, though. Wednesday, in the city council's capital improvement budget talks, the Public Works Department asked for funding for a traffic study on the intersection, and surrounding area.

"It would go as far as to look at all of the entrances along Sergeant Road. But, even consider some adjustments to the intersection on the south side of the mall," said Public Works Director Jade Dundas.

Officials hope the study will show them ways to reduce crashes and ease traffic flow in the area.

Expenses for the study and construction are estimated at $805,000, spread out over fiscal years 2015 and 2016. Officials say the cost could be cut by state grants.

One of the largest pieces of the Public Works capital improvement budget is for street reconstruction.

The city says most streets are on average more than 60 years old. They budget about $7 million annually for repaving, and if it's needed, accompanying water and sewer work.

Fiscal year 2014 calls for most of the money to go to 7th Street, West Clifton, and Fairmount. About $1.2 million would go to designing and yet to be determined projects.

The council will vote to approve all the capital improvement budget proposals in February.