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One Way or Two Way streets- - which is better?

One Way or Two Way streets- - which is better?

  • Keep the one way streets

    Votes: 4 18.2%
  • Keep the ones in the CBD, but convert 11th and 12th ave.

    Votes: 11 50.0%
  • Convert all the major one way streets to two way streets

    Votes: 7 31.8%

  • Total voters
    22

Surrealplaces

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Very simple poll and question. I guess this applies mostly to the CBD and Beltline as that's where most of the one way streets are.

Would you prefer one way or two ways streets. I don't believe there's a right answer, but everyone is bound to have an opinion.
 
Some food for thought.

As for the efficiency, some are finding that one way streets aren't much more efficient than two way streets as commonly believed.

http://www.accessmagazine.org/fall-2012/two-way-street-networks-efficient-previously-thought/
Two-Way Street Networks: More Efficient than Previously Thought?
City officials and urban planners have started a movement to convert downtown street networks from their traditional one-way operation to two-way operation. This effort seems to be largely successful—many cities (e.g., Denver, CO; Dallas and Lubbock, TX; Tampa, FL; Des Moines, IA; Salina, KS; Kansas City, MO; Sacramento, CA) have either recently made or are in the process of making such conversions
The current literature on urban street network design stresses that two-way streets create higher levels of economic activity and improve the livability of downtown areas. For example, two-way streets are better for local businesses that depend heavily on pass-by traffic. Additionally, traffic signal timing on two-way streets forces vehicles to stop more frequently than on one-way streets, giving drivers more exposure to local businesses.
One-way streets also allow higher travel speeds since signal timing results in less frequent stops for vehicles.
 
I don't find my experience as a pedestrian any worse on a 1 way street as opposed to 2 way, and my experience as a driver is far superior on a 1 way. As a cyclist I really enjoy going with the flow of traffic and can usually link several blocks together withoug hitting a red, it's obviously worse going against the flow as you hit pretty much every light.

Basically I think a street should be judged on what it has to offer, not the direction and speed of traffic. What I would like to see is wider sidewalks on 11th and 12th, that would do far more for the pedestrian realm than messing with traffic.
 
Lower property values makes sense, as people generally don't want to be living on a one way street. Not just for the noise and lack of ambiance, but every time you leave your house your forced to go only one way, even if you want to go in the other direction.
 
One way streets are soul sucking vampires. I'm okay with the ones right in the downtown business core, but personally I would change 11th and 12th, and also 9th ave to two way streets. No rush to change 9th, but if they ever develop those lots along the train tracks it would be a good idea to change it.
 
I lived on 11th in Sunalta for 4 years and still own there. It is quiet outside of an hour in the afternoon. The cuplet in the west end has been calmed significantly (though I haven’t looked up my assumptions with traffic flow data).

I’d rather keep the one ways on the cuplet, keep the one ways on 14th (where I live now) and 15th, and extended the cycle track on 12th, and keep the ones on 14th and 15th. Don’t have to use cars as calming. Reclaim the capacity for other uses.
 
The streets I support converting to 2 way are 4th and 9th avenues, and 14th and 15th in the beltline (think going back is the plan once the upgrades on 17th are done anyways), leave 5th, 6th, 11th and 12th alone, they are great for commuting. 11th is becoming a retail street already, don't think changing to 2 way would accelerate that at all.
 
11th has always been a retail street, but hasn't progressed since the 80's, while two way streets like 17th ave or 4th street have progressed. It would do better was a two way street retail wise. There's less appetite to put retail into a building on a one way street. Other examples are 1st street or 8th street, both are progressing nicely. If the Royal was built on a one way street I doubt there would be a Canadian Tire or Urban Fare.
 
CBD ones I feel should stay one way since they are major throughway for both the eastern and western gateways into downtown, but in the beltline? All those streets should be two way. I don't think 11 and 12th would be better off if they were converted.
 
It depends.

My sense is that 1-ways move more cars per hour at higher velocities, with less space between cars, and better transitions to to freeways. They also reduce waits for left turns.

My sense is that 2-ways are less frustrating to tourists and people learning their way around, promote slower speeds, can dramatically shorten a bicycle route, and generally feel more pedestrian and retail friendly.

However, I think there are other places where 1-ways can be good besides on downtown streets. For instance, narrow residential roads with bike-only one way, and parking the other way help prevent cut-through and avoid cycling problems.

Calgary's context is very specific. I'm not sure where I sit for the CBD and 11/12.
 

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