Two-way traffic will be part of Brady-Harrison study -QCTimes
I don't see how Brady and Harrison can be turned into 2 way streets without causing a large loss in efficiency. I guess we have to decide if streets' purpose is to move cars, or to help businesses along those particular streets. Imagine Brady with 2 lanes in each direction. I'm going north and want to turn into Kmart. I have to wait for a gap in the southbound traffic. Are we going to pay to widen many miles of streets to add a 5th lane to use as a center turn lane? Even then you have to wait to turn, but at least then you don't take up half the lanes in your direction while you wait.
I'd suspect the big downturn in business along these streets may have had more to do with the explosion of retail along Kimberly, 53rd, etc that has occurred over the years than the direction cars are traveling. I know I've never not gone to a place on either Brady or Harrison because I had to take 3 seconds to think how to get there. It also seems that if we make them both 2 way streets, that half the north/southbound traffic that now drives past businesses on Brady or Harrison won't even see them, as it will be going north/south on the other street instead. I also would expect more accidents to happen when traffic is moving in 2 directions instead of just one. That doesn't even take into account the cost of new traffic signals, signage, line repainting, and figuring out what to do where the streets merge back together past 53rd.
But what do I know; I'm not a highly paid consultant.
14 comments:
Without an express way to downtown. Making Brady and Harrison 2 way streets. Is a real bad idea.
Davenport not having more efficent ways into and out of downtown is only hurting it. This two way idea is really a two steps back, without the one step forward.
The Cenntenial Expressway/Rock Island Parkway was built to make it easier for travelers to get to Downtown Rock Island and Davenport, but it really didn't help the downtowns stay vibrant. And I'm sure businesses in the Brady/Harrison Corridor are all for there properties to be demolished for a new expressway to Downtown Davenport. It would be nice to have this going to Downtown, but its unrealistic. So is making Brady/Harrison two way streets. When the taxpayers see the bill for this, they will go against it. I totally agree with QC Images. US 61 from I-280 could be improved to help visitors get into Downtown Davenport faster.
What the Brady/Harrison Corridor needs to become revitalized again is some urban renewal, not reversing an decision made in the early 80's. Even the the area between I-80 and 53rd St. needs help. There's an number of things that need to happen such as streetscaping (from I-80 to Downtown), tax incentives or grants, better and more transit options,and better linkage to the colleges on the corridor. An Bus Rapid Transit Line with its own lanes from Eldridge to Downtown Davenport would be an awesome idea to revitalize the corridor.
I would think the change to the one ways had more to do with the development of Northpark Mall. I only recall the changeover that occurred at Vandeveer Park.
The one ways would function better with more east-west streets from vanderveer to 53rd. improving this corridor could help ease the congestion increases on other major streets.
Funny, I'm old enough to remember the discussions surrounding making Brady/Harrison one ways. One of the big reasons in the "for" column was improving the cooridor for business traffic.
Goes to show hindsight is 20-20. And, QCI I agree completely, it's called everyone flocks to the latest new spot. Frankly, I prefer to go to businesses on the one ways, there just aren't any left. I didn't leave them, they left me. I think that's true of lots of folks.
Conservative Demo here:
Yup, I remember that too, twas in the early seventies tho, not the eighties. I remember that the Times Democrat was pushing and pushing and pushing for the one ways (E-W as well as N-S) to the point of being pesky about it.
Same age here. They changed just as I was learning to drive, so about mid 70's I guess. I don't see the point of changing it back. The guys above & QCI are right. Some incentives maybe, some planning, but we need a through conduit to downtown, which is becoming a destination.
How about some green space/campus approach to Harrison between Central / JB and Ambrose? And there has been some development - the Menards Estates places look pretty nice. (sorry, I forget its real name)
Alexis at Perry Point (Pointe?)
The one place in town with rents higher than mine.
Wow everyone is on the same side here.
I totally agree, an expressway will never happen due to the cost and really there is currently no need. The one ways are the affordable alternative that have shown to work well.
If our city should have an expressway, Kimberly Road would be more practical.
Two reasons why something will change, state grant money and federal matching funds. This will be the bottomline reasons.
I fyou want to make the 61 corridors better an help the business development there, get rid of the crime and slum rentals. Dah!
I really think we should find out if other cities have tried switching streets to/from one ways more recently than the 1970s and study them. One choice has to be better than the other. There should be data that says so.
The only thing I can think of in favor of two way streets in a downtown area is that they "seem" more pedestrian friendly. This is just my opinion, I wish I had data to back it up. When you look at the corridors in the District and other cities that have had the most success at revitalization, they are on two-way streets, not one-ways.
I don't think this means we change all 5 miles of 61 to two way. But this is why I suggested a while back that maybe we should look at 3rd and 4th Streets instead. They would be much cheaper to convert, too:
http://tinyurl.com/lmemk
I recently visited out East (in and around Boston) and four-lane city streets (ala Brady/Harrison/Locust) don't exit in communities of Davenport's size. There were freeways/interstates, but none of this Locust/Brady/Harrison speedways which really only make it easy to race past businesses, schools and decaying neighborhoods. Make Brady and Harrison two-lane streets, cut Locust to two lanes with a green median. . . higher and higher traffic counts on wider and wider streets are not conducive to neighborhoods or small business. The only benefit from making Harrison and Brady one ways was to get people downtown out to NorthPark Mall and beyond.
The streets in Boston aren't even wide enough for two lanes. Remember, cities in the east coast were laid out and built out well before the automobile was invented. The streets are wide enough for two horse carriages. The new growth eastern suburban cities have four-lane streets, some with left turn lanes. and my favorite feature, the roundabout. Davenport needs to determine if Brady and Harrison are fast tracks to Downtown and remain oneways, or commercial corridors which would be more viable as twoways.
The other reason I was throwing out 3rd and 4th streets as something to consider is because a lot of people right now are trying to figure out how to make the "momentum" made on 2nd Street spread north to 3rd, 4th and beyond. I think one (albeit minor) reason that 2nd Street has had success is because it is a 2 way steet. Same goes for 2nd Ave. in Rock Island.
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