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TRANSPORTATION Road narrowing in Phoenix slows traffic but confuses some drivers Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News The narrowing of Main Street and Bear Creek Drive from two lanes to one with dedicated bike paths is drawing mixed reviews in downtown Phoenix. “We don’t feel any direction yet, it’s so new,” said Kimo Siharath, owner of Pucks Donuts at 109 S. Main St. “Some people like it, some don’t.” The Phoenix Urban Renewal Agency used an Oregon Department of Transportation grant to restripe Oregon Highway 99 from Sixth Street to the south couplet and to upgrade pedestrian amenities. The grant also funded improvements to the south couplet, where Bear Creek Drive splits from Main Street near Blue Heron Park. Both streets are one-way. The new alignment opened last week. A Highway 99 corridor plan issued in 2014 by ODOT called for the lane reduction, one of 19 envisioned from Ashland to south Medford. The work coincides with urban renewal's preparation of 30 acres downtown for future development and ODOT’s rebuilding of the Exit 24 interchange and its connections into downtown Phoenix. City Councilor Terry Helfrich and urban renewal Director Jim Sharp both said it appeared traffic had slowed with the single-lane alignment. “In the morning people are actually slowing down," said Sharp. Opinions on the changes have been about evenly split, said City Manager Steve Dahl. Main Street could be reverted back to the two traffic lanes if there’s enough public input, but Dahl would like a year or two to try the arrangement. “I expect after people get used to it, they will like it better,” said Dahl. At one business, a clerk said she’d heard nothing positive about the switch. “They hate it,” said the clerk, who declined to give her name, at the 407 N. Main St. Minute Market. “They don’t know if they can drive through the bike lane.” “You don’t know where you can go out there,” said Gary Scoville of Medford, who had stopped for coffee at the Minute Market. A reporter saw one driver going down the bike lane Tuesday morning. Bike riders were still using the sidewalk, although the painted bike lane was available, said Mim Siharath at Puck’s Donuts. Bike commuters heading from south valley towns to Medford have asked for improvements to Highway 99 to create a safer, more direct route. “The bicycle path along the Greenway really isn’t suitable for bike commuting,” said Helfrich. “You’ve got pedestrians; you’ve got places where the tree roots have torn up the pavement.” As part of the restriping, crosswalks are being painted on Main Street at First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth streets. Bump-outs from the curb at intersections also will be installed and landscaped to create more of a downtown feel, said Sharp. At the south couplet, rapid flashing beacons have been installed for pedestrians to alert traffic that they wish to use the crosswalks. The beacons are solar powered with storage batteries and use Wi-Fi connections to relay signals, avoiding the installation of wiring. Two radar signs that tell drivers their speed will be installed, one at the north couplet and the other at the south couplet. Urban renewal will spend $50,000 of its funds for north couplet work. South couplet work will create a gateway into town with a lighted “Welcome to Phoenix” sign and a blue spruce that will be decorated for the holidays. Tony Boom is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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