Downtown traffic study recommends limited one‑way conversions; consultants caution against Market/Loudoun couplet

Jeff Giffin of Kimley‑Horn and consultants from WSP presented the town’s new travel demand model and a downtown traffic study to the council. The travel demand model used a 2023 base year and forecast horizon years (2030, 2040, 2045) and incorporated regional projects and local approved development to forecast traffic demand.

Key model assumptions included transportation projects such as Evergreen Mill Road widening and the Cardinal Park Drive flyover at Route 7 and land‑use assumptions that included Virginia Village, Tuscarora Village, Crescent Park and nearby county developments. The model informed a downtown study that reviewed crash history (January 2018–August 2023) and evaluated potential one‑way street conversions and safety improvements.

The study identified four high‑crash intersection locations and recommended operational safety measures at signalized intersections (retroreflective back plates, flashing yellow arrow conversions, audible pedestrian push buttons) and pavement marking and signage improvements at unsignalized locations. On one‑way conversions, the consultants and staff recommended converting specific short segments (Ward Street northbound between South and Market, another block of Ward Street, Royal Street westbound between King and Wirt, and a southbound conversion of Liberty Street between Loudoun and Royal) where narrow lane geometry and curbside conditions make two‑way operation difficult. The study recommended against converting North Street to one way because of alignment issues, event detour impacts and increased delay on Cornwall Street.

The consultants also examined making Loudoun Street and Market Street a one‑way pair. They concluded both streets would require two lanes per direction under projected volumes, leaving no reclaimed lane space for pedestrian enhancements, would likely increase speeds, could harm downtown businesses that rely on two‑way visibility, would increase costs (new or modified signals and utility work) and would increase emergency response times; therefore staff does not recommend the Market/Loudoun couplet.

Staff asked council to endorse the recommendations and direct next steps (public hearing and engineering cost estimates). Council discussion raised concerns about potential impacts to neighborhoods, emergency response times and event detours. The motion to direct staff to the next phase (public hearing) did not secure four votes during the work session; several council members asked staff to return with additional analysis and impact numbers before advancing to public hearings or design work.