CHAMPAIGN — Somewhat reluctantly, city council members on Tuesday decided to support a plan to improve a portion of Staley Road at a much smaller scope than they originally hoped.

The road, between Springfield Avenue and Bloomington Road, is much in need of improvements from a safety and maintenance standpoint, city officials say. But with limited funds available, they will not be able to complete all the improvements for which city policies call.

"None of us were happy about this," Planning Director Bruce Knight said.

Most notably chopped from the plan is a policy that calls for road improvements to incorporate a "complete street" design. That means upgrades should include transportation facilities for bicycles and pedestrians, as well as vehicles.

But the plan to include sidewalks and bike lanes would have cost about $8 million, and city officials only have about $3 million budgeted for the project.

"There's not enough in there," Knight said. "We struggle with this every year, and it's gotten harder and harder and harder."

For the past couple years, the city has been moving millions of dollars from its capital improvement fund, which pays for street projects like the Staley Road plan, to its general fund, which pays for the day-to-day operating expenses, like salaries for police, fire and public works employees. City council members have agreed to move that money to avoid cuts to those core services.

But budgeters have yet to replenish that money in the capital improvement fund. And officials hinted that they may start considering increasing revenues for street projects, much like the city is planning to begin assessing a fee to property owners for storm water projects.

"We will never be able to do these projects the way we want to do them unless we identify a new revenue source," Knight said.

Council members tossed out ideas to compromise — at one point, council member Tom Bruno suggested a gravel path to compensate for what will be missing sidewalks and bicycle lanes.

"It would be a lot less aesthetically pleasing, but better than 18-inch-high weeds there," he said.

Council members ultimately told city officials to move forward with a pared-down $3.4 million version of the plan, which will include a resurfacing and keep maintenance to a minimum for 10 years. The more expensive options would have an expected lifespan of 20 years.