Aurora plans changes to transportation center traffic pattern

Pace riders used to catching a bus on the west side of the Aurora Transportation Center might need to adjust their routines a bit, as the city of Aurora plans to reconfigure the area's traffic pattern.

The city council Tuesday night approved a $63,286 engineering contract with Christopher B. Burke Engineering of Rosemont to relocate the Pace bus stop to the north side of the transportation center and reconfigure the entrance lanes to the Roundhouse and Comfort Suites hotel.

The planned traffic pattern change will simplify the entrance to the Roundhouse and the hotel by decreasing it from two driveways to one, and will allow Pace riders to stay inside longer before exiting to catch a bus, said Stephane Phifer, Aurora's planning and zoning director.

“There are a lot of positives to the ridership of the configuration,” Phifer said, adding it will “make the front of the Roundhouse and the Aurora Transportation Center a more inviting area.”

The city prepared a preliminary design of the traffic pattern changes, which Christopher B. Burke Engineering will finalize into construction documents.

The plan calls for more green space west of the transportation center and Roundhouse that will be visible from Broadway Avenue. It also could add up to 46 parking spaces, Phifer said.

Once the engineering firm's work is done, the city can seek bids to construct the new traffic pattern.