BUCKHANNON – In the interest of promoting pedestrian safety, the Consolidated Public Works Board on Thursday voted to make a section of Traders Alley a one-way street.
The portion of Traders Alley running from its intersection with Main Street to its intersection with Milkman Lane will become one-way, following a vote by the city’s Consolidated Public Works Board.
At its meeting Thursday afternoon, the Consolidated Public Works board voted 3-2 to make that section a one-way road – but keep the portion of Traders Alley that runs from Milkman Lane to Friendly Way and all of Milkman Lane as two-way streets.
Citing pedestrian safety concerns, the board voted to adopt the recommendation of public works director Jerry Arnold.
Arnold, who was unable to attend Thursday’s meeting, sent a diagram and statement that read, “There was discussion at the last meeting about making Traders Alley one-way because of pedestrian safety concerns when vehicles are exiting onto East Main Street.
“I would agree that traffic should be one-way coming from East Main Street to the intersection of Milkman Lane. I would recommend keeping the portion of Traders Alley from Milkman Lane to Friendly Way and all of Milkman Lane as two-way streets.”
Mayor David McCauley said he concurred with Arnold’s recommendation.
“The stretch from Main Street down past Three Quarter Café, you don’t want cars heading north, it’s just not good,” McCauley said.
Board member and city councilman CJ Rylands mentioned the owner of the Three Quarter Café and Lascaux Micro-Theater, Bryson VanNostrand, needs to be able to drive in that direction.
City engineer Jay Hollen said he would have to enter his lot from Main Street.
“So, all the people who are parking in that lot, the flower delivery people, they’re all going to enter through Main Street and exit through Milkman or Jawbone?” Rylands asked.
McCauley said that was how it used to work and that exiting from Traders Alley onto East Main Street was a pedestrian safety concern.
“With this Main Street thing, you are taking your life into your hands,” the mayor said.
Rylands said he agreed with not pulling out onto Main Street but did not like restricting access to Van Nostrand’s lot.
“I don’t like that this is would mean the only way into his lot is to go back around Main Street instead of up from Traders Alley,” Rylands said.
McCauley suggested adopting the recommendation made by Arnold, but suggested VanNostrand and Arnold could come to the board’s March meeting if they had any additional suggestions to make.
Board Member Nancy Shobe made a motion to adopt Arnold’s recommendation, and board member Pam Cuppari seconded the motion. Shobe and Cuppari voted in favor of the motion, while Rylands and Mark Waldo voted against it. Mayor David McCauley broke the tie by voting in favor of the motion, which ultimately passed.
