Interesting proposal floated in the Daily News today--reversing the direction of traffic on State Street so it runs toward Market Square instead of away. The change would--in Stephen Tait's words--create a "more logical entrance into downtown Newburyport."
Additionally, the new traffic flow would guide more cars to parking at the East NRA lot. Not a bad idea but as far as I know we're still not sure that's going to be parking.
But I do see a benefit. The upper end of State Street from the Library down to Pleasant Street would suddenly become a vital part of the downtown rather than a stump to the current State Street/Pleasant Street triangle. This shift would make those locations much more desirable.
All in all the idea certainly warrants study, which the city is doing.
Good to hear it.
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3 comments:
Letting folks come down State from the direction of the traffic circle and Newburyport Station might also boost the part of State St which is south of High St,"SOHI", by connecting us more smoothly to the train and folks to the south along Rt 1.
I think all the left turns (high to state, state to merrimac, merrimac to green, and green to high) will cause major traffic problems.
I'm not sure how this will boost SOHI, that's already the route most take to get downtown from the circle.
Tinkering with the direction of traffic on State is not new. State Street used to go north into Market Square when it was Route 1, before the diversion of the highway in the 1930s.
The proposal would make Market Square more of a stoplight intersection, much like the foot of Green Street. Not sure if that is desirable. And Green Street would also have to be dramatically altered. Is this a pressing need or back of the envelope tinkering?
Also, please, let's kill the acronym "SOHI" right now, before it spreads.
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