LETTER: Widths don’t justify change to two-way

To the Editor:

On Tuesday, please use your precious right to vote by voting “no” on the resolution to change one-way Second, Third and Fourth avenues to two-way traffic. The proposed change will affect from the east end at Foster Street to the west end at Edgerton Street.

With a friend, I measured the following avenues at their intersections with North Mentzer: Seventh, 35 feet, 2 inches; Fifth, 40 feet, 10 inches; Fourth, 35 feet, 9 inches; Third, 35 feet, 11 inches; Second, 36 feet, 1 inch.

Fifth (two-way) is obviously wider than Second, Third or Fourth; Seventh (twoway) has no parking along the north curb from Capital to Main Street.

The advocates of change claim that the two-way traffic on Second, Third and Fourth Avenues will improve safety. According to data provided by the city of Mitchell, 206 accidents occurred in five years on those three avenues. Of those accidents, only eight resulted from wrong-way traffic and none of the eight caused bodily injury.

Please vote “no” regarding this one-way to two-way traffic proposal so that Second, Third and Fourth avenues will remain one-way.

Tags: election 2012, one way, opinion, updates, streets, local, mitchell