One-way street in Jackson proposed to board

In an effort to create more parking spaces and solve some traffic problems, merchants in uptown Jackson have asked the city to consider making a portion of High Street a one-way street -- at least for six months.

On Monday night, the Jackson Board of Aldermen set a public hearing for Jan. 20 to solicit public input on the matter.

Bob Adams, of Adams Appraisal Service at 130 S. High St., initiated the merchants' request and has had several discussions with the board of aldermen since August.

Adams collected 10 signatures from uptown businesses on the 100 block of South High Street. The merchants propose that South High Street allow south-bound traffic only with angled parking on the east side and parallel parking on the west side.

The proposed change on the 100 block of South High Street would create five new parking spaces, plus a 63-foot loading zone in front of Siemers Best Brands Plus.

It would also eliminate some dangerous traffic situations, Adams said. When the high school dismisses around 3 p.m., Adams said cars zoom down High Street. Delivery trucks are allowed by city ordinance to double park while unloading, and it creates some safety concerns as motorists attempt to drive around the trucks.

A one-way street would eliminate that problem. Afternoon school traffic would have to find other routes, and the loading zones would give delivery trucks a place to safely park.

Adams requested that the city consider the change on at least an interim basis, which would allow officials an alternative if it didn't work. He said there wouldn't be much cost involved in putting up signs and repainting the parking stripes.

But the idea hasn't been accepted with open arms by the board.

Mayor Paul Sander was especially skeptical of the idea at first, based on discussions the city had three years ago on this same subject. A reader poll conducted by Jackson's weekly newspaper in 2000 showed that the public did not support such a decision.

But a poll conducted by the Jackson Chamber of Commerce shows a different point of view, one that convinced Sander and the rest of the board to hold a voluntary public hearing.

Sixty members of the chamber responded to the poll, including eight uptown merchants. Eighty percent of those who responded said parking and safety were concerns on High Street. Eighty-seven percent said they would support a six-month trial of a one-way street.

Though percentages show chamber members back at least a temporary change, executive director Ken Parrett said the chamber is not taking an official stance.

Sander said he hasn't made up his mind yet on the issue, but he performed his own two-week study. The mayor stopped uptown at different hours of the day to take note of available parking spaces.

"I found there to be numerous open parking spots most hours of the day, not including handicap places," Sander said.

Alderman Kerry Hoffman said he intends to do his own research prior to the public hearing.

"I'm also going to talk to some business owners personally to see what their views are and encourage them to come to the public hearing," Hoffman said. "I'll reserve my thoughts until after the public hearing."

Jackson fire chief Brad Golden said the department is looking into the proposal in terms of safe access for fire equipment.

"We have to take some measurements and look at our options to access that area," he said. "We have to find out how we'd get around corners and be able to maintain an 18-foot fire lane."

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635

Cape's one-way altered directions

The city of Cape Girardeau has gone back and forth on one-way traffic for Broadway.

The debate on Broadway began in 1956 when the street was made one-way during the city's sesquicentennial celebration.

In 1976, the city council decided to make Broadway an eastbound, one-way street from Main to Pacific in an effort to cut down on accidents and improve traffic flow.

The change from Main to Pacific didn't sit well with many Broadway merchants and in 1977, two-way traffic was restored from Main to Lorimier. The six-block stretch from Lorimier to Pacific remained one-way for seven years. In 1983, the city returned to two-way traffic for the entire length of Broadway.

-- Bob Miller