1980-09-02 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. W,R, Hill of 1st & Market Streets favored the opening of 1st Street but also asked that Market Street be made two-way again to slow down and improve the circulation of traffic. Mr, Charles Kabash of 422 North 1st Street and a member of the board of directors of Downtown Charlottesville, Inc., s~mmarimed the results of a DCI survey that indicated that DCI members favored the continued closing of 1st Street by 24-19. He asserted that the mall design and integrity would be damaged by the opening of 1st Street and would effectively create two malls by cutting off the west end of the mall. Ms. L~ui~e 'Yowell favored the opening of 1st Street, pointing out that the 'business' people in that areasshould be listened to heCauae their businesses are directly affected by the action. Mr, Tom Gentry favored keeping 1st Street closed, citing safety reasons and agreeing with Mr. Kabash about preserving the integrity of the mall and not cutting off businesses on the west end. Ms. Sally Miller, ExeCutive Director of DCI, read a previous memo to the Planning Commission from DCI desCribing its position with regard to 1st Street. She and Mr. Kabash recommended a consumer survey and further traffic studies to determine the general feeling of customers whouse the downtown mall. She stated that DCI could probably accomplish such a-survey in a six month time period. Mr, Jim Marshall, City Traffic Engineer, summarized his r.eport on the one-way system downtown and reiterated his recommendation to preserve the present system. He cited safety and traffic flow reasons and stated that the cost would far outweigh whatever improvements, if any, would result. He explained problems that would result from interruptions in traffic flow from parking, loading zones, transit stops and left turns as well as the difficulty of coordinating traffic signals and the slowdown in traffic flow. He especially emphasized the aspect of left turns; if they are permitted, getting around 'downtown would be much easier but the relative narrowness of Market and Water Streets would make left turns highly disruptive to the flow. If the left turns are prohibited or restricted, the improved circulation would be sacrificed. At this time, the Public hearing was closed and Council and staff dfscuased the issues, resulting-in the following information. The creation of a thru street at the foot of Vinegar Hill would perhaps 'solve some of the circulation problems in the downto~ area but would require a lot of expensive land and greatly depends on the developmentodf Vinegar Hill, The cost of op~ning 1st Street across the mall wOuld be minimal as this was the intent in the original design, The development of Vinegar Hill, if successful, will prohahIy add much more traffic to the downtown circulation pattern. The staff could accomplish a detailed traffic count and study' on the various alternatives to theppresent one-way system but such a process might take six months; Mr. Marshall recommended