As a city develops and grows there are parts of the infrastructure that must be revisited to determine if they are still the best they can be for the residents of that city.
The city of Alton is no exception to this. A civil engineering class at SIUE has identified three areas in Alton that need to be addressed. The first is that the
ramps on State Street are not easily accessible. To be in accordance with the ADA, sidewalks and ramps must be accessible for all people. This team of
students worked with a survey group to identify the ramps that need to be restructured. They then designed new ramps and curbs that would meet state
and federal standards. Another project was that was identified was to address a particularly dangerous intersection. The team also worked with the survey
company to design a roundabout that would help reduce vehicle accidents as well as vehicle emissions from cars waiting to take their turn. Finally, the third
project was to develop a water retention basin to have a way to mitigate the storm water runoff that much of Alton experiences. By locating the proper funding
for these projects, and carrying them out, the City of Altonwill be able increase the quality of life for many of its residents. These projects will also help promote
a more sustainable way of living in Alton. They will do this byincreasing the safe accessibility to crosswalks and ramps that encourage non- motorized modes of
transportation. The second project will help to reduce the amount of time people spend at the intersection as well as reduce the risk of accidents, and the storm
water management project will help to keep erosion down.