Friday, February 05, 2016

Four years later, and City Hall still can't explain this sign. Feeling good about New Albany's "plan" to cope with tolls?


If heavy trucks are not supposed to be using Spring Street, why does it happen? Did something change? Is there a law, or not? If there is a law, why isn't it being enforced?

We've been asking these questions for years, without answers. Now there are many more questions, and still little sign of a pulse.

Bridge tolls, social injustice, NA's street grid ... and the silence of the culpable.


Meanwhile, this article appeared on July 17, 2013.

That's two and a half years ago.

Feeling confident yet?

New Albany concerned drivers trying to avoid new toll bridges may cause gridlock, by Lawrence Smith

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- The new bridges are expected to ease traffic congestion across the Ohio River, but at least one community is worried the bridges may actually cause more traffic headaches ...

... But officials here are concerned about too much of a good thing.

According to the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency, KIPDA, some 90,000 cars cross this bridge everyday.

Depending on the amount of the toll, that could jump to 120,000 a day when the new bridges are finished.

City planners say that could cause gridlock in downtown New Albany.

"Adding that traffic volume to our urban street grid is an issue for us because we don't have the additional right-of-way to add additional laneage and we wouldn't want to do that anyway," said Scott Wood, director of New Albany's Plan Commission.

The city is planning to install counters to get a better gauge on traffic patterns.

Officials may ask for federal funds to study possible solutions, including turning New Albany's one way streets into two-way.

"And we're flexible. We're willing to adjust things on the fly as we need to as we see an issue arising," said Wood.

David Scott believes the city will find answers.

"Personally, I would like to see more two-way streets. It makes for more stop-and-go where people don't try to fly through," said Scott.

No one will truly know the impact of the tolls until the bridges are finished in 2016. But officials here say they need to get ready now, before it's too late.

Thanks, JP.


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