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Signal removal part of downtown plan
The traffic signals along Mulberry and Taylor streets are no more, as Kokomo city officials press ahead with a major reworking of the downtown streetscape.
Crews with the Kokomo Traffic Department braved miserable weather Monday and Tuesday to remove the lights at five intersections — three along Mulberry and two along Taylor.
For motorists, the removal means an end to “timing the lights” to get across the core downtown area as quickly as possible on those streets.
With the signals replaced by four-way stop signs, drivers on Mulberry and Taylor will have no choice but to slow down a bit, and perhaps look more closely at downtown.
At least, that’s what downtown merchants and a group led by Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight and the Kokomo Downtown Association are hoping.
City engineer Carey Stranahan said the signal removal on Mulberry and Taylor is a sort of prelude to a larger project — turning downtown stretches of Sycamore and Walnut streets into two-way streets.
“It’s really about reducing confusion, and [changing Sycamore and Walnut to two-way streets] certainly makes it easier to get downtown, particularly from the west,” Stranahan said.
“I think it will increase the volume of traffic downtown on Sycamore, and any time you can get more people driving in front of your business, it’s a good thing.”
Stranahan cautioned against residents thinking too far ahead, however.
Mulberry and Taylor, despite seeing the changeover to stop signs, will remain one-way downtown for the foreseeable future, Stranahan said.
That’s because unlike Sycamore and Walnut, those streets continue on as one-way streets far past the core downtown borders of Apperson Way, Superior Street, Washington Street and Jefferson Street.
The same goes for Union and Main streets, which will also stay one-way for the time being.
As the traffic crews took down the traffic lights, pedestrian signals and all the related posts this week, Stranahan and his engineering staff are continuing to work on designs for Sycamore and Walnut.
Those designs could be presented, first to the Kokomo Traffic Commission, and then to the Kokomo Common Council, some time in January.
Stranahan said the city will better know how soon it plans to proceed with the Sycamore and Walnut work once estimates come back from the design.
He said reconfiguring the traffic signals at Washington and Apperson Way will be the most expensive part of the work. The design process will also include pavement markings, changes to street signage, changes to “no parking” zones and a rethinking of the remaining downtown parking meters.
When all of the work is done, however, the city will have turned both Sycamore and Walnut streets into two-way streets downtown, and will have eliminated all internal traffic signals in the core downtown area.
Goodnight has already moved on other parts of the downtown renewal plan. City crews have removed the parking meters on the Courthouse Square. The city now enforces two-hour parking limits.
The final piece of the plan involves greening the courthouse lawn, through landscaping, and making the crosswalks to and from the courthouse safer by extending the corners of the courthouse sidewalks.
A $45,000 landscaping of the courthouse lawn is already complete, with the funding coming from individual and business contributions.
And this winter, contractors will start reconfiguring each of the Mulberry and Taylor corners where the traffic signals were removed.
Paid for with sewer fees, the project will replace numerous sewer catch basins and bring the wheelchair ramps up to compliance.
The project will also shorten the distances pedestrians must travel to get across the street.
“They don’t necessarily look like bump-outs, but we’re redoing the curbs and ramps at five intersections,” Stranahan said last week.
• Scott Smith is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He may be reached at 765-454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com
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