Time for less talk, more action

[thelakelander]

That all goes out the window when parallel parking is allowed on both sides of streets that aren't that wide.  The speed of traffic on those streets is definately slower than when they were one way.

[midnightblackrx]

Yes, the traffic is slowed, but that is a result of reducing the capacity from a OW to a TW 
There are traffic calming devices (raised intersections, raised cross walks, speed humps, speed bumps) that reduce top speeds on roads while still allowing traffic to flow freely and not causing risk to the walking and driving community.

[thelakelander]

Wasn't the desire to reduce capacity and slow down traffic the main point of converting them from OW to TW?  I could be wrong, but I thought the intent was to reroute a majority of the thru traffic up Roosevelt to I-10/95?

[Lunican]

In terms of pedestrian safety, One-way streets have the obvious advantage over Two-ways because pedestrians and drivers need look only one way when watching for traffic.

That's a pretty good way to get run over... One way streets don't guarantee one way driving.

[Steve]

That's a pretty good way to get run over... One way streets don't guarantee one way driving.

How true - how many times have I seen someone blowing down Forsyth or Adams the wrong way.

[midnightblackrx]

In terms of pedestrian safety, One-way streets have the obvious advantage over Two-ways because pedestrians and drivers need look only one way when watching for traffic.

That's a pretty good way to get run over... One way streets don't guarantee one way driving.

Your right that people do make mistakes and run the wrong way down OWs and it is dangerous (of course). But whether you are crossing the road and are struck by a car going the wrong way or by a car making a left hand turn across traffic, you are still going to feel it in the morning.

The fact is that there are 32 conflict points at a TW intersection compared with 8 at a comparable OW intersection.  Fewer conflicts means the driver can focus on fewer things, including peds. 

We haven't mentioned in this discussion that two-way traffic also produces more pollution than OWs as cars that travel at lower, stop-and-go speeds burn more fuel per mile that cars that travel at constant speeds. Do we want a downtown stinking like an exhaust pipe?

[thelakelander]

I don't think anyone will debate that going from a OW to a TW makes it more difficult automobiles to drive through Riverside at a constant rate of speed.  However, its a residential neighborhood.  With that in mind, I'm coming from the position that the main focus should not be about making driving easier for motorist at the expense of the neighborhood's quality of life.

I can only speak from what I've seen, but those streets do resemble the feel of a Myra or Forbes now, as you said earlier.  From a neighborhood feel type of thing, that's a good thing, imo.  For the speedster, I-10 and Edison Avenue (via Forest, Stockton, King & McDuff) are alternatives that will get you around the slower moving residential streets in Riverside/Avondale.

[fsujax]

I grew up in the Riverside area, graduated from Lee HS.  The two waying of Post and College was a good thing for the neighborhood.  It will take some getting used to. One way pairs are meant to move more traffic at higher speeds and do not belong in an urban neighborhoods and along most of our Downtown streets.

[Steve]

I was on it last night - the only problem is the parking on both sides of the street; it's just not wide enough.

[thelakelander]

I was on it last night - the only problem is the parking on both sides of the street; it's just not wide enough.

But it slows down the traffic.  This is an issue most older dense cities deal with just fine.  If its the biggest problem with these streets going two way, I think we'll be alright.

[Steve]

Two way streets are the only option for downtown.  The current system of one ways is so badly designed that in order to get to ones destination, one has to drive (in several cases) 12 blocks to move over three.

Two waying is what a commercial district needs.

I don't think you HAVE to have all two-way streets.  Remember, the downtown of the 1920's and 30's had a bunch of one ways.

The east-west one ways are easy to figure out because they are consistent (one west, one east, one west, one east, etc).

However, the north-south streets are a disaster:

Ocean - One Way North
Main - One Way South
Laura - Two Way until Monroe then One Way South
Hogan - One Way North until Bay then One Way South
Julia - One Way North
Pearl - One Way South until you reach Duval (then it is closed for the moonscape), then from Adams it's one way south until Forsyth, then Two Way
Clay - Two Way except for the break for the Moonscape
Broad - One Way north
Jefferson - One Way South

Are you kidding me!  So, if I'm on Duval, and I need to go south, and Laura is closed for one reason or another, I have to go to Jefferson!

[tufsu1]

there isnt enough traffic in downtown to justify ANY one way streets,

So now you're a transportation planner too?  I think, if you do some actual analysis, you will find that State and Union are justified one-way streets....and if you are looking at peak hours (like FDOT does) than Main and Ocean are also justified.

What we should look at are converting streets with low traffic numbers....and allowing on-street parking on the one-way streets during non-peak hours (as is done on Ocean already).

[thelakelander]

I agree State, Union, Main and Ocean are justified as one-way streets.  So are Broad and Jefferson.  However, I wonder if we can get away with allowing on-street parking at all times of the day on all of downtown's streets, especially Adams and Forsyth.

[tufsu1]

one-way streets do not have to be high-speed corridors.  They can be designed with on-street parking and should generally be maxed at 2 travel lanes (I'll give in to 3 on State/Union....but not 4)

and yes, it should be possible to convert some of the less traveled streets, reduce the # of travel lanes,  and/or allow more on-street parking during non-peak hours.

[Steve]

I'd agree with less one ways.  With that said, converting the streets is not cheap, and while some are an extreme hinderance (the north-south situation), other aren't AS much of a hinderance.  Realistically, how mich of a hiderance is the one way on Forsyth or Adams (I'm not talking about the crazy no parking 7-9 and 4-6 crap  -that needs to go), in comparison with the homeless issues, lack of signage, or poor lighting.