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Staff propose one‑way pilot and pedestrian separators for narrow Railroad Street
Summary
City transportation staff recommended converting narrow sections of Railroad Street to one‑way traffic with painted pedestrian facilities and signage after a traffic study citing narrow cross-sections and bus-width concerns; commissioners made a motion to proceed but the transcript does not record a final vote.
City transportation staff presented a traffic-safety proposal that would convert narrow sections of Railroad Street into one‑way segments and add painted pedestrian separators and signage to improve safety for drivers and people on foot.
Johnson Braddos summarized a traffic study showing constrained roadway widths near the railroad tracks, noting several spots measure about 8½ feet at their narrowest and that a standard school bus is roughly 8 feet wide. Braddos said the study found daily traffic patterns that supported making one side of the tracks northbound and the other side southbound through a portion of town to reduce conflicts and provide dedicated pedestrian space.
“We learned that this could be a safer option for pedestrians,” Johnson Braddos told the commission, citing consultation with emergency responders and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Braddos proposed a low-cost pilot that would rely primarily on signage (the memo estimated signage materials under $800), painted separators, and optional rumble strips; the department has already procured rumble-strip material and plans to measure impacts after implementation.
Nelson Soller of Franklin Simpson Fire Rescue told staff the change would not prevent emergency response and that crews would still use the fastest route. “If I’m going to an emergency, it doesn’t matter if it’s one way or not,” Soller said, according to the meeting record.
Staff outlined a staged implementation plan: public notice beginning in June, door‑to‑door outreach for residents without mail receptacles, temporary change-notice signs and a small pilot rollout the following fiscal year. Braddos said staff would run the same set of traffic counts after the pilot (proposed for Aug. 1–15) to measure changes in speed and flow.
At the meeting a motion to approve the project as presented was made by Commissioner McQuery and seconded (second recorded as Mayor), but the transcript does not include the final roll-call or outcome for that motion. Staff said they would not publish the final plan until commission approval and planned a webpage and 3-D visualization to help residents see the proposed traffic flow.
Braddos told the commission he had mailed notices to about 50 nearby residents and planned follow‑up outreach; he said he received informal positive feedback and some notices returned as undeliverable. The department will coordinate with the school bus garage and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on implementation details and signage standards.
If approved, staff said the cost is modest and that the measure is intended as a pilot to be evaluated with before-and-after counts.
