Some Charleston residents have started a Charleston Neighborhood Council to protest the possible widening of Fourth Street.

A group of Charleston residents; City Council candidates Lorelei Sims, Thomas Watson and Michael Strange, and Mayoral candidate Clancy Pfeiffer met on Tuesday to discuss what action they will take in relation to the possible widening of Fourth Street, said Linda Bagger, member of the Charleston Neighborhood Council.

The Charleston Neighborhood Council is attempting to get a spot on the City Council agenda, so it can formally give its concerns to the council as well as the town, Bagger said.

The City Council has already approved widening the Fourth Street bridge that runs over Town Branch Creek this spring. The council has not yet made any decision on whether to widen Fourth Street, said Mayor Dan Cougill.

However, the Charleston Neighborhood Council thinks the rest of Fourth Street will be the next to be widened.

“You can’t just widen the middle of a street and not consider of the rest of it,” said Terry Foreman, a member of the Charleston Neighborhood Council.

Bagger said city officials have told her they would like to widen Fourth Street to increase safety in the area. However, Bagger believes widening the street will make driving and walking on Fourth Street more dangerous.

Widening the street will cause a drastic increase in traffic, and “the street will become a thoroughfare,” Bagger said.

“It will be more like a highway than a city street,” Foreman said.

Cougill said no definite plans have yet been made by the City Council on what will happen with Fourth Street. Improving the sidewalks and the appearance of the street may be one possibility for the street.

“There are a million ways to address Fourth Street. Widening the street may not be required,” Cougill said.

“(The citizens in protest) are a little premature going all ballistic about it,” Cougill said.

Cougill said it was necessary for the city to begin work

on the Fourth Street bridge because the state of Illinois inspection workers found it not to be up to code and threatened to condemn it.

Members of the Charleston Neighborhood Council also are concerned that if the city widens Fourth Street, it will cause them to tear down old trees and drastically cut into citizens’ yards, Bagger said.

The residents of Fourth Street have not been able to get any concise information from any city officials, Bagger said. The Charleston Neighborhood Council would like for city officials to give them an idea of when they may begin working or making plans on Fourth Street.

The Charleston Neighborhood Council will soon be holding more regular meetings to talk about Fourth Street issues, Bagger said.