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Should the one way streets in downtown be converted to two-way?


GRDadof3

  

69 members have voted

  1. 1. Should the one way streets be done away with?

    • Yes
      26
    • No
      35
    • Not sure
      7


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Here is a list of the major one-way streets currently downtown:

Ionia from Mason St NW all the way South to Fulton Street

Ottawa from I-196 all the way South to Fulton

Louis from Monroe to Ottawa (completely silly)

Monroe Center

Fountain from Division all the way East to Fuller (?)

Lyon from Division all the way East to Diamond

Sheldon Blvd from Library to Maple

I can see keeping Monroe Center due to its small width, and Sheldon due to its strange intersection with Fulton, but the rest are relics that need to be changed, IMO.

Many cities changing one-way streets back - USA Today

If you answer no, please support your stance as to why they should be kept as one-ways.

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Ask for topic and you shall receive!

Don't forget 2 blocks of Oakes East of Division (but not West of Division) and Bartlet for only one block West of Division. When you're driving in NYC you can see the value of one way streets...when you're driving in Holland you can see how they've been misused by traffic engineers everywhere.

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Isn't Louis one way just because of the Art Museum construction. Seems like it was two way before that and likely to go back to two way.

I actually like now the fact that Ottawa and Ionia are one way. I think it helps move traffic, but I can understand it could be a bit frustrating for visitors.

OTOH, I think one way streets are more ped friendly as well. Even as crazy as downtown Manhattan is, you normally don't have a problem crossing the one way side streets, even without a traffic signal.

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Here is a list of the major one-way streets currently downtown:

Ionia from "Fulton Street all the way North to Mason St NW"

Ottawa from I-196 all the way South to Fulton

Louis from Monroe to Ottawa (completely silly)

Monroe Center

Fountain from Division all the way East to "Diamond"

Lyon from "Diamond all the way west to Division"

Sheldon Blvd from Library to Maple

I can see keeping Monroe Center due to its small width, and Sheldon due to its strange intersection with Fulton, but the rest are relics that need to be changed, IMO.

Many cities changing one-way streets back - USA Today

If you answer no, please support your stance as to why they should be kept as one-ways.

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I believe there are studies that prove that one-way streets are more dangerous to pedestrians.

Yes, convert the one ways streets back to two-ways, we don't need mini-highways through the City.

For all of you that voted no, let's hear it and please back up your claims.

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Personally I find it easier or faster to get around on one-way streets if you know them well enough. I also think they add an urban feeling or something and it seems like they would remove a lot of left hand turns that would only back up traffic. I don't have any reasons of scientific substance to back it up, just personal preference.

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Aside from Ottawa Ave btw Lyon and Mich, I wouldnt say that any of the 1-way streets are mini-highways. I kind of like them, but when I go to a different city that has a bunch of 1-way streets I get pissed because its confusing. So I'll vote "not sure".

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Is there really enough traffic during the day on Ionia and Ottawa that you would have traffic "back-ups" if someone were trying to make a left turn? In the middle of the day, there's never more than 3 or 4 cars waiting at the light at Ottawa and Fountain. At Ionia and Louis, or Ionia and Pearl, when you get a red light, same thing: 3 or 4 cars. To me, the one-way streets were created at a time when downtown's served one purpose: as a big office park. "Need to get people in at 8 AM and out at 5:00".

Also, to me, the only people who should be driving on Ottawa and Ionia in the core during the day are visitors. All the downtown workers should be parking on the outskirts and taking DASH, or riding mass transit. :shades:

I have no problem getting around downtown, but you're right torgo. When I go to other cities with a lot of one-ways, I get irritated. You have a pretty good idea of where you need to get, but you have to go one, two, three blocks down to head that direction....using more gas.

Come to think of it, I think GR has been slowly phasing out one-ways without much fanfare. Ransom near GRCC used to be one-way. Ionia South of Fulton used to be one way. Stocking by River House is going to a two-way. In addition to the Art Museum work, I believe Louis either was or used to be one-way in that little stretch. Didn't Lyon used to be a one-way from Division West to Pearl? Now it's a two-way.

I would leave the one-way on Ottawa near Calder Plaza, because of the highway exit ramp configuration they have off of I-196, and leave Monroe Center alone. The rest can be done and make downtown more friendly.

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I'll keep up the good fight TripleG and Ted. :thumbsup:

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I voted no, but I should qualify it. I like having Ionia and Ottawa as one-way streets. One has the offramp that leads into downtown, and the other has the on-ramp that leads out of downtown. It seems sort of logical. I don't really care as much about the rest of the one-ways.

I agree they could be confusing to people unfamiliar with the city, and if they were changed back it wouldn't really bother me.

Somebody mentioned left-hand turns, but having two lanes of traffic also helps with parallel parking.

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I don't have an issue with one-ways, so I said no. But the stretch of Ottawa and Ionia between Michigan and Lyon are WAY too wide. Seven lanes between the two of them. Come ON! It practically invites you to drive 55 and blow past the Calder.

Make 'em two lanes each. Add street parking or planter boxes for beautification.

Oh, I know, make two of the lanes dedicated to rail transit! Natch.

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I said yes because I think that they would function just as well with 2-way. It would be less confusing and more "main street USA" feeling through Downtown. Of course I would leave Monroe Center as is. I would also venture out of downtown and change College and Union to 2-way as well. Those streets can be just as frustrating as any other.

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Now I will say streets like College south of Lyon, and Lyon east of Division, etc. would be good candidates for reopening as two ways. Ottawa could also become a two way, but Ionia as it is now might be a bit more tricky to make a two way. Ionia is only two lanes most of the way, and there is really no room for left turn lanes to be built on Ionia.

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