Public Works recommends one-way Fleet Street with on-street parking; committee backs proposal

The Traffic & Safety committee voted to recommend converting Fleet Street between Congress and Handover streets to one-way traffic while retaining on-street parking, following a presentation from Public Works on options and constraints. The recommendation was offered to preserve drainage and utility locations and to meet Americans with Disabilities Act sidewalk-width requirements while keeping short-term parking for downtown businesses.

Dave Defos, a Public Works construction manager, led the department's presentation and said the project is driven by underground utilities and the need to meet ADA sidewalk grades. He described the options presented to the public — two-way with parking, one-way with parking, and one-way without parking — and said the public survey favored a one-way street with parking. "The ADA rules require us to have certain width sidewalks, certain grade sidewalks, and it is impossible to maintain a two-way road that has parking on it and still have the sidewalk widths that we need," Defos said.

Public Works staff explained that retaining some parking keeps drainage structures in place and leaves the option open to widen sidewalks later. The department also described near-term construction steps: placing mast-arm signal foundations, installing conduit for lighting and underground utilities, paving a temporary binder layer for summer use, and returning in the fall to install permanent brick sidewalks and finish the road diet. Defos said the schedule aims to finish major work before market-day and the summer peak.

A committee member proposed an amendment to explicitly ask the new bike & pedestrian committee to study a potential contraflow bike lane; the motion's sponsor said approving the one-way option would not preclude future bike-lane decisions. After discussion, the committee approved the recommendation to change Fleet Street to one-way with on-street parking from Congress to Handover; the committee asked staff to coordinate striping, signage and lighting to make the new traffic pattern clear.

The committee's recommendation clears the way for Public Works to finalize the section-one layout and continue with the planned construction milestones; staff will follow up on striping and bike-ped coordination as designs are finalized.