CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - The Champaign Fire Department is proposing relocating Fire Station 3 from the corner of Bradley St. and Harris Ave. to the corner of Bradley St. and Neil St.
"By looking at real call statistics over the last year, we've recognized that by moving it, we gain some service ability and we increase our ability to serve this neighborhood," said Deputy Fire Chief Joshua Jessup. "We don't decrease service anywhere else and that's really important to us."
The move would only be a few blocks away, but the proposed station would give the department better and quicker access to I-74, decreasing response time to a portion of the station's territory.
Wednesday afternoon, CFD and other city leaders spoke to people in the area and heard traffic concerns.
"What's this going to do to the traffic pattern and how can we reduce the impacts on traffic by putting a fire station in the neighborhood," Deputy Chief Jessup asked. "Our planning department is involved. They're doing some street studies and traffic studies to really look at that so that we can come back and have some more answers to those questions."
Even if the move is approved, it would be more than a year away, and there is no cost estimate yet.
"I can tell you that fire stations and municipal buildings in general are very expensive to build," said Jessup. "We don't have a dollar amount right now because we really don't know what the building is going to look like. We are in the very infant stages of this and planning and that's why we're talking to the community. We want to get their input and their thoughts and hear their concerns."
Jessup also says another community meeting is scheduled for January 22nd.
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