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Transportation committee approves one-way alley near White Label Lofts after 3–2 vote
Summary
Oshkosh City Transportation Committee voted 3–2 to make the alley between 9th and 10th streets one-way (north-to-south) to address safety and expected traffic from the proposed White Label Lofts development; a nearby property owner objected, and planning commission review of site access and parking remains pending.
The Oshkosh City Transportation Committee voted 3–2 to convert the public alley running north–south between 9th and 10th streets (west of South Main) to a one-way street, citing narrow right‑of‑way and increased traffic expected from the proposed White Label Lofts development.
Committee staff told members the alley is only about 15 feet wide and “getting two-way traffic is not possible in the alley as it currently sits today,” a staff member said, arguing a one-way configuration would reduce conflicts as vehicle volumes rise once the development is built.
Property owner Jim Dahlnick, who said he owns buildings adjacent to the alley and operates a long-established machine shop there, urged the committee to delay or reject the change. “If there was ever a desire on my part that I thought making one way would help anything, I surely would have asked for it long ago,” Dahlnick said, noting concerns about deliveries, flatbed trucks and construction equipment blocking access. He added that peak signal cycles can make exiting into 9th Street difficult.
Committee members debated which direction the one-way should take and whether the change would pre-empt planning decisions about lot access and parking. Staff reiterated that the Transportation Committee’s role is limited to traffic operations and direction; planning commission review will determine specific lot access and parking layout. Staff said the development application is expected before the Planning Commission on March 3 and that the number and configuration of stalls shown in preliminary plans will be handled through that process.
On the roll call, votes were recorded as follows: Armstrong—Nay; Merritt—Yea; Hartman—Yes; Lynch—Nay; Martin—Yes. The motion carried, 3–2. After the vote staff encouraged interested parties to contact community development staff for details about the development plans.
The committee’s action is directional: the Planning Commission will still review final site plans, and community development staff can provide additional details about access points and the layout of new parking stalls. The committee noted winter conditions and snowplowing can further reduce effective alley width, reinforcing the safety rationale for one-way operation.
