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Unexpected consequence of downtown street revamp

Friday, Aug. 12, 2011 at 2:02 PM | Comments: 1

I was walking back from a downtown lunch on Friday when I noticed that city workers had already started marking 10th Street in preparation for making it (temporarily) one-way and testing out angle parking.

So I started thinking about it, and that's when it struck me.

The new street flow is designed to allow drivers to proceed north on 10th Street, east a block on Pacific Avenue, and then back south on Ninth Street (also one-way) before looping back over on Princess Avenue.

Here's a map that I did up for the print edition:

Personally, I think that if you make it too easy for drivers to loop around and around, you'll end up with more congestion, as drivers prowl the circle looking for a better parking spot. And I'm not sure how angled parking solves any issues -- surely it's more difficult to back out into traffic than it is to back into a parallel parking spot?

But I digress.

I'm willing to see how things go. The last council, bless their hearts, would have studied this issue within an inch of its life, and five years from now, with a half-dozen reports under their belts, they would have voted on a permanent change without ever giving it a trial run.

So it's refreshing -- if somewhat startling -- to see an idea that was brought up just weeks ago becoming an immediate (if temporary) reality.

All of these thoughts I was thinking as I walked back to work. And that's when i realized the unintended consequence.

Think of yourself as a driver.

You're cruising north along 10th Street, you turn right on Pacific Avenue, and then decide to head back south along Ninth Street.

"Hey," you think to yourself," This newfangled stuff isn't too hard."

And then you get to Rosser Avenue, where you are faced with a red light.

Are you stuck there? I don't think so...

I think that, since you're on a one-way street -- and since Rosser Avenue is also a one-way street -- you're able to make a left-hand turn on that red light. You don't have to wait for it to turn green.

Based on my reading of the traffic laws, this is perfectly legal.

But to my knowledge, it's never been something you could do in Brandon before -- a left-hand turn on red.

Of course, you should shoulder check and use your signals and only turn into the closest lane.

But the best part is that, since the lights on Rosser are synchronized, when you turn left on a red, you should be facing greens all the rest of the way along that avenue.

Enjoy!

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Posted by:Deborah Boschman

August 14, 2011 at 4:50 PM

YES, I totally agree with your comments about the last council.

YES, this new city council is DEFINITELY refreshing, invigorating, alive and active compared to the constant non-action, dilly dallying, going nowhere, delaying, undecisiveness, dormancy and unwillingness to listen to the wishes of the people, of the last one.

A LOT of this new energy, however, is due to the progressive and visionary leadership and direction of our new Mayor Shari.

I believe in giving CREDIT where it is truly due.

MANY of us could see that Brandon was going nowhere fast.

We could see that a CHANGE in leadership was DEFINITELY needed.

We saw the potential, we saw the dreams, the hopes of a people and a region.

We needed the catalyst of a new leader with a progressive new direction and new vision to kick start, activate and actualize the dreams of a people and a region.

We have that leadership style now in our new Mayor Shari Decter Hirst!

I do not believe that there will be much dilly dallying and non action with her at the helm of our municipal ship.

I believe that Shari is a woman of her word and a woman of action!

I believe that we are going to see MANY positive and refreshing changes within Brandon in the immediate days that lie ahead.

Our future is VERY exciting for a change, invigorating and hopeful now that we have this new Mayor and these new progressive minded city councillors.

We could have only dreamed of much of this within our past.

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