Eliminate our one-way streets

[SteelTown]

Wide one-way streets are taking downtown in the wrong direction

February 16, 2008
Terry Cooke
The Hamilton Spectator

"Oppressive four-lane one-way streets help kill neighbourhoods and small businesses."

--Matt Hanka and John Gilderbloom, Louisville Courier-Journal, Feb. 1

Hamilton council should summon the political courage to simply eliminate our anachronistic system of one-way streets. No more public-policy baby steps and enough already with pilot projects like the now three-year-old conversions of James and John streets.

It's time to simply abandon an idea of the 1950s that serves only as a deterrent to restoring livable neighbourhoods in the heart of Hamilton.

I know that such a radical change will provoke some motorists who believe they enjoy an inalienable right to make a quick trip through downtown. And I don't for a minute underestimate the potential for political backlash on the issue in a community where the car is king and change never seems to happen easily.

I learned that lesson the hard way as a political novice when I initiated the creation of a regionwide system of bicycle paths in the late 1980s. We formed a committee of citizens to oversee the process, hired technical experts to design a concept plan (including both on-street bike lanes and rail trails) and got council to approve a capital budget. So far so good, I thought.

But when we actually converted one of the five vehicular lanes on Main and King streets to dedicated bicycle lanes in 1993, all hell broke loose. Angry drivers who experienced some minor traffic delays adjusting to the changes literally lit up the switchboard at City Hall. The Spectator then piled on with front-page coverage of an accident in which a cyclist was hit on Main Street.

Regional council quickly caved to the pressure and abandoned the project. That political debacle remains seared in the memory of veteran city councillors. This explains in part the trepidation with which they now approach the issue of one-way street conversions.

But much changed in Hamilton in the ensuing 15 years. Both our civic attitudes and our infrastructure are better equipped today to support a fundamental shift in favour of neighbourhoods, transit, pedestrians and cyclists, with less emphasis on moving large volumes of cars through the core.

Not the least of these changes is the opening of the Linc and Red Hill Valley parkways, which provide a better way for drivers interested only in getting across town quickly. But perhaps more important are lessons learned in more than 100 North American cities from Sacramento to Seattle that have successfully reconverted one-way streets to two-way.

The reasons for the trend are open to debate, but in essence it comes down to calming traffic so that people feel safe living along these streets. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why a five-lane expressway like Main Street through the middle of a residential neighbourhood is incompatible with raising a young family or running a successful small business.

Mary Pocius is executive director of the International Village Business Improvement Area and the mother hen of Hamilton's downtown renewal efforts. In Pocius's words, "no single action could do more to improve the lives of downtown citizens and businesses than the elimination of one-way streets."

Fortuitously for Pocius and for Hamilton, she has a political champion in downtown Councillor Bob Bratina and an ally in Mayor Fred Eisenberger, both of whom share her ambitious vision of more livable, prosperous downtown neighbourhoods and businesses. But first they must convince a majority of city council to come with them down that two-way street.

[DC83]

Good Stuff, Terry Cooke! Thanks for pointing out the obvious... at least we have some "political" backers, now.

But good luck switching Main St 2-way! If there was THAT much of a hassle in '93 to add a bike lane, imagine the chaos of switching it to 2-way. It'll take longer to happen than the 40+ years it took Red Hill Expy to happen! hahaha

[SteelTown]

So now I know why we have bike lanes on parts of Main and King Street lol.

It's gonna have to take a majority united council to start eliminating our one way streets. They have to stick together from start to the end much like how a united council are towards renovating City Hall.

[raisethehammer]

and now we all know why Hamilton continues to go nowhere...in a hurry!

[DC83]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

and now we all know why Hamilton continues to go nowhere...in a hurry!

b/c we let the citizens who spend as little time in downtown as possible decide whether the streets remain one way or not?? haha

"Hey, it's 1993, our downtown is in a CRAZY decline... let's NOT be proactive and let the eastern suburbanites who spend no time downtown dictate how our streets downtown should be run just so we can get them out of the core as quickly as possible! We don't want them approached by a squeegie kid!!"

Now back to reality, it's 2008... oh wait!? We STILL let the suburbanites dictate how our core is run. Greeeeeeaaaaaaat.

[raisethehammer]

yup...you nailed it.
not just the citizens,but now the politicians as well. Its why I hate amalgamation. more suburban voices on council than urban...

[go_leafs_go02]

Good. I hate the one way streets, I wish to see that the 5 lane Main and King thoroughfares would be turned into a 4 lane road (2 lanes each way) and then either Main or King has one lane converted into a LRT track that is bi-directional.

[flar]

^^yes.

The first time I came to Hamilton I kept getting lost and frustrated and nearly got in an accident, all because of those damn one-ways!

[go_leafs_go02]

best part, heading northbound on James street, passing Main and King, trying to head westbound. I swear I went all the way to Barton just looking for a spot that permitted left hand turning.

[raisethehammer]

Cannon...you're right. after Hunter you have to go to Cannon to go westbound.

[matt602]

After visiting Buffalo yesterday I have a slightly higher opinion of our own one way streets but even still I agree they need to take a hike.

Buffalo was madness though. It was like Hamilton except the one way streets didn't even get you anywhere fast. They were just confusing and seemed to be thrown in random places. We ended up accidentally driving on a streetcar right of way and had to drive on the sidewalk to get back to a proper road.

[raisethehammer]

Matt...did you hit Allentown, Elmwood Village and the historic district adjacent??

[matt602]

Nope we were just downtown and it was during the night last night. I've heard about those areas though and I plan to see them in the future.

[raisethehammer]

if you were downtown (Chippewa/city hall/HSBC arena etc...) you were like 2 minutes from these other areas...they're downtown too. Just north of City Hall area.

[raisethehammer]

well, looks like it's the early 90's still at The Spec.
Since Terry Cookes fab piece on two-way streets last week, they've done nothing but publish one letter after another from suburban hicks complaining about downtown and the two-way idea.
Hopefully city hall (and the rest of the city for that matter) will simply start ignoring this irrelevant rag full of pea-brains. Apparently it is possible for a pea-brain to shrink. It's still happening at our good old Speculator.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

Matt...did you hit Allentown, Elmwood Village and the historic district adjacent??

This is a great area! Apparently the only place to buy booze in Downtown Buffalo? (according to our Hotelier last time I stayed back in Sep). But it's still nothing compare to Locke (imo).

As for Buffalo's one-way system downtow, Matt you're 100% on the ball on that one. If the one-way street leads you to another street going the direction you're trying to go... then you're lucky! I find they lead you to dead ends, parking garages & "no left turn" streets! haha it's so frustrating!
Whereas Hamilton's one-way system tries to get you out of downtown as quickly as possible, it seems Buffalo's are centred around keeping you STUCK downtown! hahaha

[flar]

well, looks like it's the early 90's still at The Spec.
Since Terry Cookes fab piece on two-way streets last week, they've done nothing but publish one letter after another from suburban hicks complaining about downtown and the two-way idea.
Hopefully city hall (and the rest of the city for that matter) will simply start ignoring this irrelevant rag full of pea-brains. Apparently it is possible for a pea-brain to shrink. It's still happening at our good old Speculator.

I saw three of those letters to the editor. All three of the letters were filled with gross inaccuracies about the downtown area, as if the letter writers had only been there once or twice in the last 10 years. Judging by the habits of some of my fellow Dundasians, that very well could be true. Once again the ignorance of Hamiltonians about their own city saddens and astonishes me.

[raisethehammer]

you highlight a couple of great points Flar....
1. people who have been downtown once or twice in the past decade write a letter to the editor as if they are right in touch with the reality of downtown.
2. The Spec publishes these things.
It's absolutely shameful.

they should be publishing letters from people who live downtown and are there everyday of their lives.
Not some loser who "drove through on King St once a few years ago" as if he/she has any authority at all to write about the realities of downtown.
I mentioned my hair cutting lady in another post...lives in Ancaster, but is downtown every single day of the week for work, dining, shopping etc.... she may not live downtown but is down there 8-10 hours a day, 6 days a week.
Publish letters from people like her, not some goofball who has no clue what he/she is talking about.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

you highlight a couple of great points Flar....
1. people who have been downtown once or twice in the past decade write a letter to the editor as if they are right in touch with the reality of downtown.
2. The Spec publishes these things.
It's absolutely shameful.

they should be publishing letters from people who live downtown and are there everyday of their lives.
Not some loser who "drove through on King St once a few years ago" as if he/she has any authority at all to write about the realities of downtown.
I mentioned my hair cutting lady in another post...lives in Ancaster, but is downtown every single day of the week for work, dining, shopping etc.... she may not live downtown but is down there 8-10 hours a day, 6 days a week.
Publish letters from people like her, not some goofball who has no clue what he/she is talking about.

Maybe those goofballs are the only ones actually reading The Spec?

[raisethehammer]

lol...probably.