09 - Toole Design Group Memorandum

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due to five decades of experiencing undesirable outcomes with one-way streets, cities are rediscovering the benefits of two-way streets. Fast forward to 2018 and cities have been traffic calming, doing road diets, restoring one-way streets to two-way, and adopting traditional measures of effectiveness to recapture traditional, city -friendly, outcomes and to advance community visions. Many cities are in the midst of this evolution presently. Not only do two-way streets provide about double the access compared to one-way streets, they also: • provide direct routing/convenience for motorists, cyclists, and transit; • result in slower and safer speeds; • are self -enforcing (no motorists going the wrong way, less speeding, less bikes on sidewalks); • provide flexibility and redundancy (which is very helpful during emergencies, special events, parades, street repair/maintenance); • reduce sign pollution (one-way streets need more signs); • advantage economic exchange, retailing; • result in more intuitive way -finding; • create a better image (two-way streets eliminate the message that throughput is more important than place, and avoid unwelcoming "do -not -enter" signs); • result in easier and more direct bus -routing; • provide better and additional views of buildings; • respect the places' original intent and history; • help crime reduction; and • increase property values. There is also consensus that downtowns, like Paris, would benefit by increased housing, social exchange, economic exchange, local businesses, place -making, walkability, bike accommodation, transit, and so forth that benefit from two-way restoration. New U"OS-.Section Downtown Paris has a well-connected network streets. The four primary streets (i.e., 1St Street, Main Street, Lamar Avenue, and Clarksville Street) are under the jurisdiction of TxDOT. Two generations ago, these streets were converted from two-way to one-way has resulted in excessive speeds, reduced safety, difficulties for crossing the street, disinvestment, and an uncomfortable place.