APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Appleton’s Mobility plan adds accessibility for downtown travel.
City officials revealed immediate and future plans for downtown mobility.
Chad Doran, spokesperson for the city of Appleton says a mobility study in 2016 revealed that residents wanted safer and easier travel for vehicles, bikers, and pedestrians.
Using recommendations from the mobility study, the traffic engineering division completed an extensive modeling analysis, looking at current traffic data, including peak time traffic counts in the downtown area.
One way that the plan is being accomplished is by making streets like Appleton Street a two-way street.
“There is a major north-south thoroughfare right through downtown that will help people get from one side of the city to the other.”
Morrison Street from Lawrence Street to Harris Street also becomes two-way in 2019.
“We really have to jog around some of the one-way streets in downtown just because of the way the city was designed the last twenty years or so.”
He says these changes are just the start.
“We are going to turn some of the other one-way streets back into two-way streets and create more of that traditional style grid system that you would see.”
Doran says being a college city, pedestrian crossing needs enhancements that will take place within the next 3 to 4 years.
“We are adding more bike lanes. We are enhancing some of our pedestrian options with things like raised intersections that sort of calm traffic and slows cars down so it is easier for people to cross.”
Highlights of the plan:
- Appleton St. becomes two-way in 2019.
- Morrison St. from Lawrence St. to Harris St. becomes two-way in 2019.
- All-way stop, raised intersection at Oneida St. and Morrison St. intersections with Lawrence St.
- A one-way stop eastbound with a raised intersection at Lawrence St. and Durkee St.
- Adding turn signals at Division St., Oneida St., Morrison St. and Durkee St. intersections with College Ave.
- Improved access to Jones Park through Rocky Bleier Run.
The plan also shows how parking will be impacted.
