Whether to make way for development, special events or roadwork, road closures across Springfield have become a common experience in recent years.
Communications coordinator Kristen Milam said any time a road needs to be closed, a permit must be acquired with the city. The process goes through the Transportation Management Center, where the impact on traffic in the surrounding area is assessed. A traffic control plan is created outlining detours, signage and its placement, which can depend on the size of the roadway and volume of traffic.
“There’s not a one-size-fits-all formula,” she said.
While it may seem like more roads are closed and are staying that way for longer, Milam said the process of road closures has not changed in recent years. Instead, the influx and availability of federal and state American Rescue Plan Act funds has provided more resources for several projects to get underway on a similar timeline…