One way streets converted to two way streets

[roadman65]

Irving Street in Rahway, NJ was one way SB from Central Avenue to Milton Avenue.

Main Street in Rahway, NJ (Irving's counterpart)was also one way NB between Milton and Central Avenues, but turned two way recently.

South Street in Orlando, FL was WB only from Rosalind Avenue to Division Avenue and now is two way between those two points.

Anderson Street also in Orlando was one way EB and now two way from Division Avenue to Rosalind Avenue.



Usually its the other way around where two way roads become one way in urban areas to improve traffic flow, however there are some cases where one way is converted to two way like these examples I listed.

[froggie]

Usually its the other way around where two way roads become one way in urban areas to improve traffic flow

This was the mindset several decades ago when it was first implemented.  But more recently, it's generally been considered that converting one-ways back to two-way is better for overall traffic flow as it enables spreading traffic around.  As with all other things, it depends on the specific situation in a given area.

[Takumi]

Bollingbrook and Bank Streets in Petersburg, VA

[1995hoo]

Short segment of Main Street in Fairfax, Virginia, between West Street and East Street. When they converted that to two-way (it had been one-way eastbound), they also converted the parallel North Street to two-way (it had been one-way westbound). I grew up about three or four miles east of there and the revised street pattern still throws me off even though it's been several years. My brother lived a few blocks west of that area until last year and he said North Street is the preferred thru route in both directions because the lights are timed to favor going that way. (I seldom go east/west or vice versa through there these days. I usually approach from the south.)

The conversion spelled the end to a spot where you could make a legal left on red (from West Street onto eastbound Main near the Fairfax County Courthouse) and there was even a sign posted to remind people it was legal to do so after stopping.

[jeffandnicole]

Trenton, NJ: A 2 block stretch of US 206, Warren St (1 block is mis-labled as Lincoln Hwy in this image): http://goo.gl/maps/ZkbHE

When first done, it was a questionable decision.  The parallel 206 NB remained one way.  Additionally, the two-way streets around the nearby War Memorial had been closed (1 was eliminated for questionable open space; a 2nd was eliminated is where a hotel is located), so it basically left 1 lane available to exit a significant portion of the city.

Since then, the street in front of the War Memorial has been rebuilt, so the congestion isn't nearly as bad.

[1995hoo]

Another that occurred to me: Water Street and Market Street in downtown Charlottesville. They were both one-way streets during my college years and they've both been converted to two-way since (I don't remember when). On the whole I think it was probably a change for the better. Because of the pedestrian mall, getting around downtown Charlottesville was always a bit convoluted and inconvenient due to the one-way streets because the mall's presence required you to loop around in sometimes counterintuitive directions.

[Zeffy]

Trenton, NJ: A 2 block stretch of US 206, Warren St (1 block is mis-labled as Lincoln Hwy in this image): http://goo.gl/maps/ZkbHE

When first done, it was a questionable decision.  The parallel 206 NB remained one way.  Additionally, the two-way streets around the nearby War Memorial had been closed (1 was eliminated for questionable open space; a 2nd was eliminated is where a hotel is located), so it basically left 1 lane available to exit a significant portion of the city.

Since then, the street in front of the War Memorial has been rebuilt, so the congestion isn't nearly as bad.

Another in Trenton with US 206: at the Battle Monument, Brunswick Ave. used to be US 206 NB and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd used to be US 206 SB, but now both are two way streets. Interesting to note that Google still labels Brunswick Ave. as US 206 when Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd is actually 206.

http://goo.gl/maps/gf0Gl

[theline]

Numerous one-way streets and portions of streets in downtown South Bend have been converted to two-way in recent years. Part of the justification is that traffic on some streets isn't what it used to be when downtown was the retail center of the city. Going to two-way streets have improved access to businesses and cut down a small bit of driving for some trips.

Our mayor currently has a plan to make all downtown streets one-way. The plan will also narrow the streets by allowing angle parking. The reasoning is that traffic through downtown moves too well. If motorists are forced to go slower, they may stop and visit our downtown businesses. I think this is ludicrous. Causing traffic jams won't bring shoppers. It will drive them away.

My hope is that INDOT will nix the changes for the streets the carry SR 933, Michigan, St. Joseph, and Main Streets.

[myosh_tino]

San Jose, CA...

* 3rd Street from Jackson to Julian
* 4th Street from Jackson to St. James
* Julian Street from 3rd to 19th
* St. James Street from 4th to 19th

Notes: The 3rd/4th Street couplet used to be 3-lane one-way streets but were converted to 2-lane two-way streets with a two-way left turn lane in the middle in the early 2000's.  Reason for doing so was to reduce speeds and shift commute traffic to the freeways.

San Jose wants to convert 10th and 11th Streets to two-way for the same reasons the 3rd and 4th Streets were converted but has run into some opposition from motorists who use those streets to get to and from San Jose State University.  Traffic volumes on 10th and 11th are significantly higher than on 3rd & 4th prior to their conversion.

[jeffandnicole]

Numerous one-way streets and portions of streets in downtown South Bend have been converted to two-way in recent years. Part of the justification is that traffic on some streets isn't what it used to be when downtown was the retail center of the city. Going to two-way streets have improved access to businesses and cut down a small bit of driving for some trips.

Our mayor currently has a plan to make all downtown streets one-way. The plan will also narrow the streets by allowing angle parking. The reasoning is that traffic through downtown moves too well. If motorists are forced to go slower, they may stop and visit our downtown businesses. I think this is ludicrous. Causing traffic jams won't bring shoppers. It will drive them away.

Similiar to the theory in Woodbury NJ: Slow down traffic to encourage people to window shop from their cars, then stop and shop.

The slowing down part worked.  Still waiting to see people stop and shop though.

[Zeffy]

Similiar to the theory in Woodbury NJ: Slow down traffic to encourage people to window shop from their cars, then stop and shop.

The slowing down part worked.  Still waiting to see people stop and shop though.

People will call me crazy, but I honestly wish NJ 29 had it's route changed through Trenton - right now it's "get through Trenton as fast as you can gogogogogo", plus it cut off the city from the waterfront. Look at Camden's waterfront, Trenton should do something like they did. I thought routing 29 through West State Street through Warren Street (multiplexing with US 206) through current NJ 129 to the Trenton Tunnel would let people look at the businesses in Trenton. There are many nice restaurants in the city, and I've been to them and did not feel like I was in any danger.

[DandyDan]

A few years ago in Omaha, when the Midtown Crossing shopping district was opened up, they converted Farnam St. to two-way between 36th Street and Turner Blvd.  Cuming Street and Burt Street near Creighton University used to be a one way pair (and the east ends of NE 64), but when they opened up the CenturyLink Center, Cuming became two way (and so did Burt, but no one except Creighton people ever use that), and accidentally created the shortest route (though not necessarily the best route) to Eppley Airfield in the process.

[jeffandnicole]

Similiar to the theory in Woodbury NJ: Slow down traffic to encourage people to window shop from their cars, then stop and shop.

The slowing down part worked.  Still waiting to see people stop and shop though.

People will call me crazy, but I honestly wish NJ 29 had it's route changed through Trenton - right now it's "get through Trenton as fast as you can gogogogogo", plus it cut off the city from the waterfront. Look at Camden's waterfront, Trenton should do something like they did. I thought routing 29 through West State Street through Warren Street (multiplexing with US 206) through current NJ 129 to the Trenton Tunnel would let people look at the businesses in Trenton. There are many nice restaurants in the city, and I've been to them and did not feel like I was in any danger.

http://www.trentonnj.org/documents/planning_downtownmasterplan/ch_7_Riverfront_District.pdf

Above is a document that's kinda-sorta what you're talking about, except that it takes Rt. 29, moves in inland slightly, and incorporates it into the city when other buildings and businesses are added.

Personally, thank goodness nothing came of it.  Traffic backs up on 29 North at the traffic light on Cass Street upwards of 3 miles to I-295 each morning.  In the afternoon, traffic on 29 South can back up a few miles approaching those same lights, along with the ramps getting to 29 backing up as well, which in turn congests the city streets.  Imagine if even more lights were added, lanes reduced, and speed limits lowered?  It's easy to get around the city mid-day and weekends.  Rush hours though are pretty bad as is.

What ultimately killed the plan was that many people were on board with Rt. 29 being converted to an urban blvd.  But no one had any finacing lined up - much less clients - for the ultimate vision of more housing, commercial properties and the riverfront revitalization. 

Maybe in the future, it could happen.  But there's a long way to go before they should consider changes to the highway structure.

[Brian556]

Chattanooga has some like this. Creates some traffic problems due to the lack of left turn lanes.

[Brandon]

In Joliet, both Clinton Street and Van Buren Street in downtown were converted from one-way to two-way sometime in the 1970s.  There is still signage on Clinton Street to that effect.

Chicago Street through downtown was converted from one-way to two-way when the Chicago Street Mall was built in the late 1970s as an attempt to keep retail downtown.  This forced one-way northbound traffic onto Scott Street.

In addition, Chicago and Ottawa Streets south of downtown were converted from one-way to two-way after Chicago Street was rebuilt for two lanes in each direction between there and I-80.  It also closed off the access Ottawa Street had to I-80.

[TheStranger]

N Street in Sacramento between 21st and 28th Streets was converted back to two-way (from one-way eastbound) about 3 years ago; however, the segment from 3rd Street to 21st remains one-way.  (L Street between Alhambra Boulevard and 3rd continues to be one-way westbound)

[WichitaRoads]

In Wichita, they converted Main Street to two-way from Kellogg to Douglas about 10 or so years ago, and St. Francis from Intrust Bank Arena (William St.) to a section already two-way at Second.

I always enjoy taking my driver ed kids down Main from Central, and then say "What do you see wrong ahead?" when we approach two-way traffic at Douglas. Only 5% ever catch on! FRIGHTENING! 

There has been talk about doing it to Market, and extending the two-way portion on Main further north, as well as some other one ways in south Downtown. The only one that is in progress of a change is English Street, from Main to Emporia (Emporia to St. Francis was already two-way, and stops at the railroad viaduct. They've already installed signals facing east-bound traffic, just not sure when they will switch them on and open up two-way.

Frankly, if they got rid of all of the one ways in Wichita, except for First and Second, it would be fine by me. There's no longer a need for north-south one ways to regulate traffic in and out of the city center. First and Second, running east-west, do carry a LOT of traffic from East Wichita in, and with the bike lanes, they have a new use on top of that.

ICTRds

[US71]

N. Church St in Fayetteville, AR was converted a few years back.

A few more were as well, but I'm drawing a blank on them. W Spring St, however was converted from 2Way to One Way.

[hbelkins]

They're talking about doing this to Main Street and Vine Street (US 25-60-421) in Lexington, but there's lots of local opposition. Feelings are running strong on both sides of this debate.

Seems like I've heard a similar proposal for some of the streets in Louisville, but I don't know if they're roads with state or US numbers or local streets that aren't on the state system.

[Roadsguy]

In Northeast Philly, Cottman and Princeton Avenues from Torresdale Avenue to I-95 were converted from a one-way pair of PA 73 to two two-way streets as part of the 95revive project, to keep traffic off Princeton. Cottman was widened two lanes westbound and one eastbound, and carries 73 both ways.

Interestingly SR 0073 (PennDOT's internal number, which can only be on one street as opposed to the signed number) followed Torresdale and Princeton, while Cottman was 6073. I don't know if they updated the SR numbers or left it as-is, like how SR 0291 in South Philly remains on its old alignment on Penrose/Moyamensing Avenue, and even Broad Street up to City Hall, with SR 0611 ending there too, even though PA 611 is signed all the way down Broad to I-95.

[TEG24601]

Most of the streets in downtown Flint, MI were one-way during the height of GM in Flint.  It wasn't until a few years ago they converted most, save for Court St and 5th St (the one-way couplet of M-21) to two-way.

[Pete from Boston]

Union Square in Somerville, Mass., is like a lot of the business districts in the vicinity, with some part operating via a one-way circulation loop. 

Now that the neighborhood is doing very well for a change (real estate exorbitant in advance of new light rail) and the city has plans to condemn a lot of healthy businesses to hand them over to developers, there are talks to make the the major one-way arteries two-way in exchange for shrinking them to create a more "city" feel to the area. 

[txstateends]

Dallas has been in the process in the last couple of years to start converting a few of the non-major one-ways downtown to two-ways.  Found a couple of news reports about it:
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/Downtowns-one-way-streets-reversing-direction-183851151.html
http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2013/03/eight-years-after-it-was-first-discussed-some-of-downtown-dallas-one-way-streets-to-go-both-ways-starting-tomorrow.html/

[tidecat]

Louisville converted part of Brook Street to two way traffic, and is now looking at a huge batch of possible conversions:

http://www.wdrb.com/story/24519899/downtown-louisville-two-way-street-project-gets-boost-in-proposed-highway-plan

[Duke87]

This was the mindset several decades ago when it was first implemented.  But more recently, it's generally been considered that converting one-ways back to two-way is better for overall traffic flow as it enables spreading traffic around.  As with all other things, it depends on the specific situation in a given area.

Converting one-ways to two-ways is generally done as a traffic calming measure. One lane each way forces traffic to slow down compared to two lanes one way. It also reduces the overall capacity of the street, hence the impetus to make one-way pairs in the first place.

The biggest downside to two-way streets in urban areas is left turns. Usually there is no room for a left turn lane, and even if there is, those left turns cause delay whether you phase them into the signal or not. But if the street you're on is one way, you can make left and right turns with equal ease.

Also of note: NYCDOT determined that left turning vehicles cause 3 times as many severe accidents involving pedestrians as right turning vehicles. (see page 27 here) Presumably the need to be aggressive when making a left turn off of a two-way street contributes to this.