[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...88165573481.txt

Some Elston Grove residents want Ninth St. left as one-way route

A sign indicates the traffic flow at Ninth and Lafayette streets. Photo by Tim Moran
By Tim Moran
Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, August 4, 2011 5:08 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Part of the Elston Grove streetscape project will turn Ninth Street between Michigan and Pine streets into two-way traffic, but a number of residents there aren’t happy about it.

“They have no valid reason to do that,” said Mike McKervey, who lives near Ninth and Lafayette streets.

That intersection in particular, he said, has experienced numerous traffic issues. Making Ninth Street a two-way road would only add to that.

“It’s dangerous,” he said. “It jogs a different way when it gets to Lafayette.”

*
In the early 1960s, the Board of Public Works changed the flow of the street from two-way to one-way, which it has been ever since. McKervey says that was done in response to traffic accidents.

“There is a whole lot more traffic know,” he added. “If it wasn’t safe then, I don’t see how it could be safe now.”

Rich Richey, a 15-year Ninth Street resident, agrees that “no rationale has been given” as to why the plans are to make it two-way.

“If they allow westbound traffic, there will be a considerable amount of more accidents,” he said.

While admitting Haas & Associates and First Ward Councilman Richard Murphy have had neighborhood workshops regarding the plan, Richey says more residents should have been directly notified.

“All the people who live on the street that I have talked to are very against it,” Richey said. “Changing the direction of a street is a pretty drastic thing to do, so I’m surprised no one contacted the people who live there.

“Something like this should require notifying everyone that it affects.”

Murphy said he is aware of the concerns residents have, but a “balancing act” has to take place when infrastructure changes.

“Every other street in the neighborhood is two-way, and the traffic counts don’t lead to Ninth Street being any different,” he said. “One of the goals of the project is to make the North End more accessible, and to link the Boulevard with downtown.”

Due to the number of safety concerns resident have levied, Murphy said Haas & Associates, the engineering company designing the project, is looking into creating a four-way stop sign at Ninth and Lafayette streets.

“We are looking at that option and the road itself,” Murphy said. “I expect it to be engineered in a way that is safe and conforms to safe standards.”

A Haas & Associates spokesman said while turning Ninth Street into two-way is in the plans for now, things could change by the time construction begins later this year.

A four-way stop and continued parking on both sides of the street would help some of the issues, Richey says.

“But we do not want to end up like 10th Street, where people are parked on both sides and it is very congested,” he said.

Jamie Wallen, who also have lived on Ninth Street for years, says it will be difficult to change what has been the norm for so long.

“We built our system of living around a one-way street,” he said. “If it happens, it isn’t the end of the world, but it would have been nice to get our consent.”

The decision on the flow of Ninth Street ultimately will be decided by the Board of Works.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie said while the board approved of the Elston Grove plans concept, Haas & Associates will come back at a later date with an inventory of traffic devices. That could include stop signs or traffic lights.

A formal discussion also will occur before a final vote on the matter.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/1...e6881975698.txt

Hearing planned on Ninth Street change

Published: Monday, October 3, 2011 5:08 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — A public hearing at the Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety has been called for 9 a.m. Oct. 17 at City Hall to discuss the possibility of Ninth Street, from Pine Street to Michigan Boulevard, changing traffic flow from one-way to two-way traffic as part of the Elston Grove streetscape project.

Interested persons may attend and remonstrate. Written remonstrances may be filed with the city clerk prior to the hearing.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/1...5a265430880.txt

Ninth Street to have two-way traffic from Michigan to Pine

By Tim Moran
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 5:09 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — The flow of Ninth Street, from Michigan Boulevard to Pine Street, will change from one-way to two-way traffic, as soon as city officials complete posting signs notifying motorists of the change.

In addition, four intersections in the area will now have four-way stop signs.

The Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety made those changes, all proposed as part of the Elston Grove streetscape project, at its Monday morning meeting following a public hearing where no one voiced opposition to the plan.

The plan was addressed by City Planner John Pugh, who said adding four-way stops where Ninth Street intersects with Lafayette, Cedar, Spring and Pine streets would “control traffic.”

*
Pugh said work would be coordinated between the street department and city engineer on having signs posted.

Although no timetable has been set, Pugh said he expects that to be completed “sometime this week” and the change of traffic flow will become official at that time.

Tim Haas, the engineer hired by the Michigan City Redevelopment Commission to work on the Elston Grove project, said the street is “wide enough” to make the change as there are two lanes currently “flowing in the same direction.”

He said businesses on Michigan Boulevard have contacted him promoting the change.

Board of Works President Ben Neitzel read a letter from city resident Margaret Picur, who also endorsed the change.

In her letter, Picur asked if there was any possibility to make the street two-way not just to Pine, but as far west as Ohio Street.

Pugh said that “has not been looked at” because this change request came specifically for the Elston Grove project, which only encompasses the area between Michigan and Pine.

“We did not discuss anything beyond Pine,” he said.

During a post-meeting phone interview, Pugh said he expects local firm Woodruff and Sons to begin construction on the neighborhood improvement project later this month.

The change reverts the street back to how it was before the mid-1960s, when the Board of Works originally decided to make the street one way.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.emichigancity.com/news.htm#9th

9th Street

On October 17th the Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety approved the changing of 9th Street to two way traffic between Michigan Blvd. and Pine Street. This change was made in anticipation of the beginning of the Elston Grove project which incorporated the two-way traffic change into the projects design. On Thursday November 17th the Michigan City Street Department completed the installation of signage which designates 9th street as a two-way street. Specifically, additional stop signs have been installed at the following intersections, making them 4- all way stops:

E. 9th Street & Lafayette Street
E. 9th Street & Cedar Street
E. 9th Street & Spring Street
E. 9th Street & Pine Street

As a result, the Michigan City Police Department is urging motorists to use extra caution when traveling 9th Street while the community adjusts to the reconfiguration. Additionally, the residents living along this stretch of roadway are reminded that any vehicles parked along the north shoulder of the roadway must be parked in accordance with the new configuration (facing west).