The hearing will be held during the Tuesday, Feb. 28, City Council meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall at 715 Princess Anne St. City Council may take action on the proposed conversion later in the meeting.
The city hired traffic engineering firm A. Morton Thomas and Associates to study the continuing need for traffic signals at the five intersections. The signals are aging, replacement parts are hard to come by, and new signals are expensive.
The study concluded the intersection of Canal Street and Princess Anne Street does not meet current standards for a traffic signal, and recommended the existing signal be decommissioned, and an alternate method of traffic control be established at the intersection.
The consultant’s recommendations for this intersection after removal of the signal are:
1 – Permit the traffic on Princess Anne Street to flow unimpeded.
2 – Place a stop sign on Canal Street east bound at Princess Anne Street, for traffic moving toward the river from the Dorothy Hart Community Center.
3 – Convert the 200 block of Canal Street to one way traffic east bound, toward Caroline Street.
City staff concur with the findings, said Assistant City Manager Doug Fawcett.
“The 200 block of Canal Street is currently the only block with two-way traffic on the streets between Princess Anne Street and Caroline Street from George Street in the downtown area to Ford Street to the north,” Fawcett said. “Converting the 200 block of Canal Street to one-way traffic toward the river will be consistent with the alternating direction one-way streets in this eight block area.”
On street parking is currently permitted on the north side only of the 200 block of Canal Street. This will continue with the change to one way, with the only difference being drivers will park facing east instead of west after the traffic pattern change.
If you wish to voice your opinion on the proposed change in the traffic pattern, either in support or in opposition, you should plan to attend the public hearing. You do not need to make prior arrangements to speak at the hearing. There is a five minute time limit for each speaker.
If you have questions, or if you’d like to voice your opinion but will not be able to attend the public hearing, contact Doug Fawcett at 540-372-1023 or at [email protected]
Editor’s Note: You can read Mr. Fawcett’s complete report at Proposed Change in Traffic Pattern on the 200 Block of Canal Street
For more information about the traffic signal study, see City Council Approves Decommissioning Five Traffic Signals.
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