Should Midtown have One-Way Streets?

Are one-way streets right for Midtown?

Some community leaders don't think so.

There are talks about converting Juniper Street and Piedmont Avenue back to two-way streets.

"It excites me," Penelope Cheroff, chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit E, said at Tuesday's meeting. Cheroff brought the discussion to the board "because I think it's good for us. The city is already looking at it. In order to encourage it, they wanted input from NPU."

Cheroff said the Midtown Alliance and community stakeholders will meet about changing the way traffic travels on Juniper and Piedmont. The streets became one way in the early 1980s, said board members.

The city of Atlanta for some years has been looking at converting one-way streets as part of the Connect Atlanta plan. West Peachtree and Springs streets also are in mind for the change. But since the state owns portions of those streets, that project would take much longer to realize than lane changes on Juniper or Piedmont.

Support for the Change

Several people at the meeting Tuesday supported changing Juniper and Piedmont to allow cars to pass in both directions.

Scott Selig, vice president of real estate firm Selig Enterprises, said two-way streets are better for business.

"The one-way streets are not appealing" for prospective tenants, said the developer whose company partnered with Daniel Corporation on the upscale 12th & Midtown development that includes the Loews Atlanta Hotel. Juniper Street runs along the east side of the property.

One-way streets allow high-speed traffic to cut through town. They are not forgiving to people who are searching for a business entrance. It's too easy to miss your turn on a one-way street.

"It really becomes an ordeal for someone to figure out the best way to get to you," Selig said.

Retailers are more successful along two-way streets because traffic goes slower and drivers can easily turn around if necessary, he said. 

"When you go from a one-way to a two-way, you may increase your overall traffic time," Geoff Rogers, vice president of the Midtown Neighbors' Association, said. Rogers said the association was in strong support of changing Juniper and Piedmont to two-way streets.

"In general, anything that calms traffic down ... is an advantage to both the residents and people who have their businesses in this area," Rogers said.

Sally Flocks, president and CEO of pedestrian advocacy group PEDS, agreed. She said slower speeds on two-way streets make safer conditions for pedestrians.

"I am strongly in support of making these two-way streets," Flocks said.

But Jim Schneider, a long-time community advocate, wasn't sold on the idea. 

"I think there are some other options we need to look at," Schneider said. "I do think you are going to lose parking" for the residences on Piedmont Avenue and the retailers on Juniper Street.

What do you think? Do you like this idea? Or do you think Juniper and Piedmont should remain one-way streets? Tell us in the comments.