Downtown Two-Way Conversion Pilot
To improve safety and accessibility while encouraging people to better engage with downtown businesses, the DDA advocated to convert sections of three downtown streets (State, Pine and Boardman) from one-way traffic to two-way traffic on a pilot basis. After thorough discussion and review, the DDA Board and City Commission approved implementation of this project, and the conversion was completed in November of 2022. To see presentations given to the DDA board regarding this project, click here and here.
To see before and after deomnstrations of how this project could be implemented in the future, click here.
Comments and suggestions regarding this project can be submitted to the DDA by email at two-way@downtowntc.com or by calling the DDA Office at 231-922-2050.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The two-way pilot project is a collaborative effort of the Downtown Development Authority and the City of Traverse City.
The two-way pilot project is transitioning State Street, Boardman Avenue and Pine Street from one-way traffic to two-way traffic. This is a two-year pilot. At the end of the two-year pilot, the DDA and City Commission will determine if two-way traffic will remain permanent or if the pilot should be extended for further study and evaluation.
At this time, Front Street is not part of this pilot project.
A. To slow traffic on State Street
B. Create a safer and more comfortable environment for pedestrians and bicycles on
State Street (and all streets in downtown)
C. Provide for more connectivity to the overall grid system
D. Serve as a catalyst for economic activity and growth along State Street
A. The DDA and City facilitated a temporary but smaller (only two blocks) two-way traffic conversion pilot project on State Street during the pandemic that was well received. We are testing to see if a more comprehensive traffic conversion of State Street will also be successful.
B. We would like to study the two-way traffic conversion over the course of two winter seasons to determine best practices for snow removal.
C. We have several bridge and road construction projects (Cass Street and Union Street Bridge and Grandview Parkway) planned for 2023 and 2024 that will provide challenges to vehicular circulation throughout downtown.
D. The DDA and City recently completed a year-and-a-half-long study (that included numerous public engagement and outreach activities) to determine if and how a pilot two-way conversion project could be completed.
The DDA and City will be measuring several factors to determine if the two-way pilot
project is successful, including:
A. Pedestrian Volumes
B. Bicycle Volumes
C. Crash Data
D. Traffic Speeds
E. Traffic Volumes
The DDA will continually reach out to business owners and residents of Downtown and
the surrounding neighborhoods.
A. Over the next three weeks, the DDA and City will be working to make several modifications (e.g. traffic islands, signage, traffic signals and road paint) to the three streets. Some of these modifications are weather and contractor dependent. However, we are targeting November 11 for the official change to two-way traffic. The DDA and City will keep the community apprised of modifications that will impact vehicular and pedestrian movement throughout the transition process.
B. The two-way pilot is an iterative process. Over the course of the two-year pilot, the DDA and City will continue to observe how the two-way traffic transition is working and make identified modifications as necessary.
Comments and suggestions regarding this project can be submitted to the DDA by email at: two-way@downtownc.com or by calling the DDA Office at 231-922-2050.