City Council Divided on Two-way Traffic Plan

Last week Alpena City Council members met for a trial run of the proposed parking and street changes to take place on 2^nd Avenue. Although they hoped it would provide clarity on the issue, council members are now even more divided than before.

The original proposal was to allow two–way traffic on 2^nd Avenue, with parking on one side of the street. But soon after an alternate plan was proposed, calling for two–way traffic with parking on both sides of the street. After holding a trial run, many council members were in support of the latter.

“I’m certainly comfortable with it. It seemed to me that most of the people if not all that I spoke with were comfortable with the amount of room that there is to pass somebody,” said mayor Matt Waligora.

But not everyone felt the same way. Shawn Sexton and other council members are now requesting that one–way traffic be put back on the agenda for the next meeting, calling the operation at the very least congested, and at the very most…unsafe.

“The sidewalk will be at state minimum, the parking stalls will be at state minimum, and the lanes will be at state minimum. So you have a lot compacted between pedestrians, people at the eateries, ice cream shops, bicyclists, cars, delivery trucks, and were all in the very state minimum… it’s allowed, but it really gives us no room for error,” said the councilman.

Sexton also said after speaking with shop owners, residents on 2^nd Avenue and senior citizens in the area, it’s become clear to him that the community is not in favor of a two–way street. Council members will meet next on September 5^th to discuss the ongoing issue.