A major talking point among many citizens in Manitowoc revolves around 8th and 10th Streets, and a northern portion of 11th Street. The Manitowoc Common Council will soon vote on whether to turn those streets into two ways, but is that the right plan of action?
If you go by a study conducted in 1956, when the Council considered turning them into one-way streets, no it is not.
A man named Bryan Wilson conducted a study, which stated that the amount of traffic that area of the city was expecting to double by 1970 and that the elimination of left turns at some intersections would make crossing streets safer for pedestrians. It was also estimated that 30% more vehicles could use the streets without adding to congestion if they were one way.
The Council approved the change for a 120-day trial in 1960, and in November of that same year, a referendum to make the change passed by 300 votes out of a total of just over 12,000 votes.
Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels was recently asked about putting the idea up for a referendum to which he replied, “We elect representatives to gather all the information and make an educated decision. Referendums, for the most part, turn into popularity contests, and you just see slogans, “Vote Yes” or “Vote No” with no data behind it.”
At this point, it appears as though the change will be made with no Council push back, much to the dismay of many residents of the city.
Mayor Nickels estimates that the changeover would cost about $500,000, or nearly double the amount that was spent on the recent Washington Street repaving project.
