In order to make Maple Avenue merchants happy those along the south side of the 200 block of West Yosemite Avenue may end up paying the price.
That’s because in order to flip the direction of one-way traffic in the 100 block of N. Maple Avenue from southbound onto northbound without creating major back-ups on Yosemite Avenue will require putting in place a left turn pocket from eastbound Yosemite to southbound.
Public Works Director Mark Houghton gave the council an update last Tuesday on city staff evaluations of what it would take to flip travel direction on Maple Avenue.
The study was made at the request of Councilman Vince Hernandez. A group of Maple Avenue merchants led by Brenda Franklin of Tipton’s have never been happy with the city decision to convert Maple Avenue from two-way traffic to one way in a bid to improve traffic flow to and from the post office as well as avoid double parking in front of the post office.
The group of Maple Avenue merchants has long contended the decision inconvenienced their customers and made it tougher to get to their stores.
The one-way traffic to south travel only eliminated a long-standing problem on Yosemite Avenue. When one or two drivers tried to reach the post office turning north on Maple Avenue during peak traffic it often would back up traffic for more than two blocks beyond the railroad tracks.
The only way to avoid that from happening again would be to put in a left turn pocket for two to three vehicles on eastbound Yosemite at Maple. In doing so it would eliminate at least three parking spaces in front of the India Merchandise Store. The existing parking configuration - and what would be in place if the direction of Maple Avenue flipped - would not cost any parking in front of stores along Maple Avenue.
Staff was also instructed to include the general community - including those that worked on the original plans for downtown that led to the traffic changes such as the bulbs and one-way traffic - when it came to getting input on what to do if anything about Maple.
It was from those citizens that the need to eliminate left turns from Yosemite to Maple to avoid daily occurring traffic back-ups on Yosemite was brought to city officials’ attention.
A report on possible options of what could be done to Maple Avenue if the City Council so desired to change the current configuration is excepted to be completed sometime in the next month.
The work was part of a $3 million investment of redevelopment agency funds in downtown that got the broad support - but not 100 percent approval - of downtown merchants and property owners.
That’s because in order to flip the direction of one-way traffic in the 100 block of N. Maple Avenue from southbound onto northbound without creating major back-ups on Yosemite Avenue will require putting in place a left turn pocket from eastbound Yosemite to southbound.
Public Works Director Mark Houghton gave the council an update last Tuesday on city staff evaluations of what it would take to flip travel direction on Maple Avenue.
The study was made at the request of Councilman Vince Hernandez. A group of Maple Avenue merchants led by Brenda Franklin of Tipton’s have never been happy with the city decision to convert Maple Avenue from two-way traffic to one way in a bid to improve traffic flow to and from the post office as well as avoid double parking in front of the post office.
The group of Maple Avenue merchants has long contended the decision inconvenienced their customers and made it tougher to get to their stores.
The one-way traffic to south travel only eliminated a long-standing problem on Yosemite Avenue. When one or two drivers tried to reach the post office turning north on Maple Avenue during peak traffic it often would back up traffic for more than two blocks beyond the railroad tracks.
The only way to avoid that from happening again would be to put in a left turn pocket for two to three vehicles on eastbound Yosemite at Maple. In doing so it would eliminate at least three parking spaces in front of the India Merchandise Store. The existing parking configuration - and what would be in place if the direction of Maple Avenue flipped - would not cost any parking in front of stores along Maple Avenue.
Staff was also instructed to include the general community - including those that worked on the original plans for downtown that led to the traffic changes such as the bulbs and one-way traffic - when it came to getting input on what to do if anything about Maple.
It was from those citizens that the need to eliminate left turns from Yosemite to Maple to avoid daily occurring traffic back-ups on Yosemite was brought to city officials’ attention.
A report on possible options of what could be done to Maple Avenue if the City Council so desired to change the current configuration is excepted to be completed sometime in the next month.
The work was part of a $3 million investment of redevelopment agency funds in downtown that got the broad support - but not 100 percent approval - of downtown merchants and property owners.
