The city of Des Moines is taking steps to slow down driving speeds on Keosauqua Way in the city center, including lowering the speed limit. The Keosauqua neighborhood has been a victim of its own recent success, according to the city. It’s seen dramatic change, from the Main Frame Studios building to new apartments, convenience stores and retail. But growth has come at a price. Cars on Keosauqua have crashed into The Northern Vessel coffee shop twice. Building owner Mindy Aust is encouraged by the new plan to prevent crashes. “We’re excited that the city is looking at this,” Aust said, asking the city for help. The solution is to lower the speed limit on Keosauqua Way from 35 to 25 miles per hour. The new speed limit would start at 9th Street and end at I-235. “And we want to make sure this road is safe for everyone,” said Des Moines City Councilman Josh Mandelbaum. Mandelbaum says the return of Keo Way is a big boost for downtown Des Moines. And it’s time to adjust transportation. “A community wants to be a place people come to, not a place people just pass through. And we’re seeing that happening with Keo. We’re creating a place people want to go and want to be. That means people have more ways to get there. “We also have to think about how we use it for all uses, not just driving through the street,” Mandelbaum said. Business owners are also calling for the return of on-street parking on Keo Way. It’s currently under consideration. “We’re very excited. We think it will increase rents for our buildings. People are excited to be part of the community here. So, for us, it’s exciting,” Aust said. The Des Moines City Council was scheduled to vote Monday night on the speed limit change on Keo Way, but had to cancel the meeting due to a tornado warning. The vote is now scheduled for Monday morning at City Hall. » To stay up to date on the go, download the free KCCI app: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from KCCI
Des Moines, Iowa —
The city of Des Moines is taking steps to slow down driving speeds on Keosauqua Way downtown, including lowering the speed limit.
City officials say the Keow Way neighborhood is a victim of its own recent success, undergoing dramatic change, from the Main Frame Studios building to new apartments, convenience stores and retail shops.
But the growth has come at a cost: Cars traveling along Keo Way have twice crashed into The Northern Vessel coffee shop, and building owner Mindy Aust is encouraged by a new plan to stop the crashes.
“We’re very pleased that the city is considering this,” Aust said.
Aust asked the city for help. The solution is to lower the speed limit on Keo Way from 35 to 25 mph. The new limit would start at 9th Avenue and end at I-235.
“We want to make sure this corridor is safe for everyone,” Des Moines City Councilman Josh Mandelbaum said.
Mandelbaum says the return of Keo Way is a big boost to downtown Des Moines, and now is the time to adjust traffic.
“You want your community to be a place people come to, not a place they drive through. And that’s what’s happening at Keogh. We’re creating a place people want to go to, and that means more ways for people to get there. And we need to think about how to use it for all purposes, not just drive by on the street,” Mandelbaum said.
Business owners have also called for the reinstatement of on-street parking on Keo Way, a proposal that is currently under consideration.
“We’re really excited. We think our building will be a lot more available to rent. People love being part of the community here. So it’s exciting for us,” Aust said.
The Des Moines City Council was scheduled to vote on changing the speed limit on Keogh Way Monday night but was forced to cancel the meeting due to a tornado warning. The vote is now scheduled for Monday morning at City Hall.
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