RECENT COMMENTS
18th Street between Grace and Broad is now a 2-way street
From the Department of Public Works:
Several streets in Shockoe Bottom are being converted from one-way to two-way streets. The planned street conversions are part of the City’s Downtown Master Plan, and were also recommended in the Shockoe Bottom Transportation Study. Phased in conversions have been taking place since 2010.
Beginning Saturday, July 25, 18th Street between Grace and Broad will be two-way. Work crews have marked pavement, modified traffic signals and will integrate angled parking within areas of the project limits. Work on 17th Street continues, and conversion to two-way on 17th is expected to follow in the next several weeks.
Converting streets from one-way to two-way has been indicated to help businesses thrive, improve walkability, and balance traffic movements with livability. Studies have shown that two-way streets are healthier for on-street retail businesses and expanding visibility. All of the changes support improved vehicular circulation in Shockoe Bottom.
These traffic flow improvements include:
- Converting 17th Street to two-way traffic from Broad Street to Franklin Street
- Converting 18th Street to two-way traffic from Grace Street to Broad Street
- Converting Franklin Street to two-way traffic from 17th Street to 19th Street
- Converting 19th Street to two-way traffic from Grace Street to Main Street
The project also includes the uncovering and restoration of the existing cobblestone surface on Franklin Street from 18th to 19th streets.
This project is funded by the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program under the 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act.
Egad! Change!!
@Chris Harnish… I agree, especially during rush hours on both counts!
And, I HATE that angled parking where you have to wait forever to stop while someone hesitates, maneuver, and back up into a spot while holding up traffic longer than with parallel. Then everyone squeeze by thinking they are going to hit the cars while brushing by oncoming traffic. That was a bonehead decision to install angled parking! In one of my articles, I mentioned how the city tried this once and it failed miserably because of all that I said above.
Please explain a few things:
1. “making all the roads two-way…” When were all the roads made two way? Rachel Flynn wanted all of them converted, but only a handful have strategically been done to improve traffic distribution and access in areas where the grid was fragmented (except the stupid decision on Grace).
2. how does conversion to 2-way eliminate parking? That section of 18th had no parking. Second, a one-way with parking on both sides and two travel lanes will typically still have two lanes of parking, but now in opposite directions.
3. Angled parking takes more time than parallel? Huh? It requires fewer movements. There is never uncertainty over whether one can fit as it organizes parking into a set number of spaces, regardless of vehicle length. and it prevents incompetent drivers from playing pinball with your vehicle while trying to get into a space.
Lastly, back in angle parking is safer for bicyclists. No “dooring” risk and people pulling out of the space have better sight lines.
Richmond can’t stand change.
@Huh? (how I love how people change their handles to suit their responses and hide behind their words).
The 18th Street switch will only make it harder for mainstream traffic to turn into Exxon since you now have to compete, as you do on Broad, to get in risking an accident while building road rage due to rude driver behavior. I am sure the short stretch of one way was two fold… having more lanes to make that left turn for the Interstate, and to get into the gas station before that trip.
I also despise seeing people turning left into McDonald’s on Broad against traffic when there is a sign that clearly says “No Left Turn” there. You are suppose to turn left onto 18th and go into the parking lot from that entrance. And only a right turn out of both exits. Right on Broad to head West and Right on 18th to get on Marshall to head East.
Next, what you say about angled parking is not true and you must not have driven that stretch during the 5:00 rush with someone trying to park? Playing pinball versus someone who doesn’t know how to back into a space while holding up traffic in that lane? At least while someone parallel parks you can drive by them. Then longer vehicles like pickup trucks, stick out further into the road and you can’t tell how close you are to their bumpers driving by so most people veer left into the oncoming traffic or close to it, slowing traffic in both directions. I see it every time I drive down that street and try avoiding it because of all of this. It narrows a street not designed for that kind of parking. Bottom line, it holds up traffic taking most people longer to park backing in, and that was the reason why the city quit doing it in only a couple of months the first time they tried it.
I hate backing out of front end angled parking, you can’t see around the cars on either side and you blindly back out of the space.
Georgetown DC always had back-in angled parking in it’s lower parking lot, feel like that’s much safer/easier.