City looks at converting streets to 2-way traffic
Change would affect Ashley, Rutledge below Calhoun Street
Change would affect Ashley, Rutledge below Calhoun Street
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Charleston City Council's Traffic and Transportation Committee will hold a public hearing at 4 p.m. Thursday on changing Rutledge and Ashley avenues from one-way to two-way traffic between Calhoun Street and Murray Boulevard. The hearing will be at City Hall, 80 Broad St.
In the 1960s, when downtown Charleston was suffering as a growing number of residents and stores flocked to the car-friendly suburbs, city leaders tried to keep downtown attractive by converting several city streets to one-way in hopes of speeding up traffic flow.
Today, downtown has regained its energy, and many residents and business owners want to slow down traffic.
That's why the city switched upper King Street from one-way back to two-way 12 years ago, and changed both Beaufain and Wentworth streets back to two-way traffic three years ago.
Now, Rutledge and Ashley avenues could be next, at least between Calhoun Street and Murray Boulevard.
Mayor Joe Riley said he supports the change, and City Council is holding a public hearing at 4 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.
"I expect most people will be in favor of it," Riley said.
The conversion to two-way traffic tends to slow traffic, which many residents support. Others, however, appreciate how one-way streets can make for faster travel, the reason behind their creation in the late 1960s. Changing streets back to one-way also can remove some on-street parking spaces to make room for vehicles turning at intersections.
Riley said he plans to seek money soon for a study of converting Spring and Cannon streets back to two-way traffic as well as Ashley and Rutledge avenues north of Calhoun Street.
Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or at rbehre@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
icbmman (anonymous) says...
It's obvious that Riley and his cohorts live, work, and play south of Calhoun and nowhere else. This idea is absolutely ridiculous. It is already difficult for tourists and residents to safely and easily get around downtown, now they want to make it worse?!
Leaving some of these streets as one-way helps traffic from overflowing into Calhoun and the Crosstown! It's common sense, especially since those 2 streets are main traffic arteries downtown. All changing the one-way direction will do is tie up more traffic around the intersections of those arteries.
Riley does indeed need to be voted out of office, because his ideas are getting more and more ridiculous as he's getting older. This idea is just pure madness.
October 1, 2007 at 11:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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