The Traverse City Downtown Development Authority has recommended to the Traverse City Commission to convert State Street to a two-way traffic following the conclusion of a three-year study. The recommendation also includes maintaining two-way traffic on Pine Street and Auburn?Avenue.
The pilot program began in 2021, and involved moving islands at key intersections, adding new signage and repainting the roadway to accommodate the change in traffic flow. The Traverse City Commission is now tasked with making a final decision on whether to maintain the two-way configuration.
Data collected during the three-year study showed a reduction in vehicle speeds. Harry Burkholder, executive director of the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority, said the results were encouraging. “We were able to slow traffic by about three to four mph,” Burkholder said.
He noted that slowing speeds to increase pedestrian safety was the primary objective of the transition. Beyond traffic data, the DDA conducted interviews with neighborhood residents and downtown business owners. “We heard anecdotally that from a lot of business owners, that they definitely saw more people parking on State Street, utilizing their businesses and just people walking in that down that street and just in general,” Burkholder said.
Some community members have expressed a preference for returning to one-way traffic, citing tradition and long-standing habits. Burkholder acknowledged that old habits can be difficult to change and noted specific complaints regarding traffic light signals.
Burkholder described the study as an iterative process where changes can be made and studied repeatedly to evolve the project. The concept for the pilot evolved from temporary measures used earlier in the decade. During the COVID-19 pandemic, officials implemented a one-way traffic pattern on State Street for a summer while Front Street was closed to vehicles. This experience led to discussions about how one-way or two-way traffic might function on State Street over a longer period.
While the State Street changes are being evaluated for permanency, Burkholder noted there are currently no plans to alter Front Street. “I think there’s no appetite to change Front Street right now,” Burkholder said. He suggested that in the long term, the city may need to look at the balance of having three westbound lanes and only one eastbound lane downtown.
The Traverse City Commission is currently reviewing the DDA recommendation and has requested additional data regarding the costs and implications of a permanent transition. A newly created Complete Streets Advisory Committee will also evaluate the transition. Burkholder said he does not expect any immediate changes this spring or summer, with a final decision and potential implementation likely occurring in the fall.
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