Council to consider street conversion
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JANESVILLE — Bit by bit, the city continues to convert the city's one-way streets back to two-way traffic.
The next segment proposed to change is North Franklin Street between Highland and Mineral Point avenues. That's the road that hugs the Rock River and swings around Mercy Hospital to its east and north.
Jackson and Franklin streets between Mineral Point and Rockport Road already have been converted to two-way streets in two previous stages.
Mercy Hospital officials asked for the proposed conversion, and the hospital paid for a traffic study to evaluate the impact. The recommendation in the study favored the conversion. Fire department officials also support the change because emergency vehicle access to the hospital would be improved, according to a memo to council members.
The conversion to two-way traffic would require an all-way stop be created at the intersection of Franklin Street, Highland Avenue, North Pearl Street and North Washington Street.
Cost is estimated at $36,000. The money would come from TIF No. 33. If approved, the project would be done when already-scheduled street improvements are completed in the fall of 2009.
The city council is expected also to consider converting Milwaukee and Court streets to two-way streets. The goal is to slow traffic to benefit downtown businesses and neighborhoods.
Hearing planned
A public hearing to convert North Franklin Street between Highland Avenue and Mineral Point Avenue to two-way traffic is scheduled for Monday, June 22. The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 18 N. Jackson St.
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Jun 10, 2009 at 3:37 p.m.
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Let's waste more money we don't/won't have...what's $36,000 (when ti's not your money)?
Jun 10, 2009 at 9:17 a.m.
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Actually, twerp13, the experience of other downtowns has been that two-way traffic slows down and stops into the businesses more often, because parking is a lot easier and pedestrians feel safer. It's probably one of the best things we can do to help downtown businesses.
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Centerway can handle the through traffic. Downtown should be a place to shop.
Jun 10, 2009 at 7:22 a.m.
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I still say converting Court St is a bad idea. It is a pain in the butt to try to drive up in the winter as it is (several times this winter we went uphill sideways due to icy roads), now they want traffic to go down hill as well? I can see all of the accidents that will happen already. And as for Milwaukee St. that too should stay one way it is a main thoroughfare and traffic flows well, changing it back to two way is just going to cause more congestion and accident. I think it will actually drive people away from the down town area.
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As for the other roads mentioned yes it seems to make sense for them to be converted back to two way traffic.That process will make the traffic flow much better.
Jun 9, 2009 at 6:58 p.m.
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Great graphic (map). Thanks!
Jun 9, 2009 at 4:46 p.m.
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Sort of odd that they just fiddled with the curbing and such at the Washington/Franklin corner. I saw that and wondered what the status of this could be.
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