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On Tuesday, consultants from Nelson/Nygaard and AKRF presented a proposal to the City Council that laid out a plan that would see considerable changes to traffic patterns around the intersection at Cedar Street, River Street and Palmer Avenue; near the train station and business district.
At the Palmer Avenue intersection, there would be a consolidation of the various one-way streets at the busy intersection into a “more traditional and rational confluence of two-way streets,” according to Mayor Noam Bramson, who believes that option would be well-received by the community.
Near the train station, there would be a conversion of the current two-way street system into a one-way system with entry from the west on Division Street and exit to the east on North Avenue.
With the train station serving as the center and hub of the master redevelopment of downtown New Rochelle, this change would make it more accessible. Bramson noted that they would have the opportunity to test this pattern on a pilot basis before making any permanent decisions there.
“This proposal is aimed at making it easier to get to and from the train station,” he said. “It will relieve the traffic crunch that often occurs during commuter hours.”
The most ambitious and complex changes would be seen downtown, where consultants have proposed restoration of two-way traffic on Main and Huguenot Streets.
The consultants reviewing the options made the argument that “the width of Main Street would permit a driver to circumvent a car in the travel lane, and that, with better enforcement of double-parking restrictions, a two-way system would function well.”
“Most planners and retailers strongly support two-way traffic patterns, which have been shown to boost economic activity and improve pedestrian safety,” Bramson added. “The counter-argument, is that traffic calming could degrade into traffic obstruction. We would also lose a small number of on-street spaces to accommodate turning lanes.”
While still incredibly early in the process, and no decisions have been, Tuesday’s presentation from Nelson/Nygaard and AKRF can be reviewed online.
“Regardless of our opinions about these options, it is important for the city to think carefully about traffic circulation and not automatically dismiss charges simply because they challenge the status quo,” Bramson said. “We should be open to bold action, if there is solid evidence for its benefits.”
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