Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Volta Avenue topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents divided over how far a proposed Volta Avenue one-way should extend, council hears
Summary
A Safe Streets for All task force report prompted debate about making parts of Volta Avenue one-way; residents at a community meeting generally supported a short one-way segment near 38th Street but opposed extending it to Rhode Island Avenue, and councilors asked staff to survey affected blocks and hold further public testimony.
Mayor Terminio Lopez and the Town Council heard a report from Mr. Ligon on a community meeting about safety on Volta Avenue, where attendees raised both support for limited one-way traffic and worries about travel-time and spillover on nearby streets.
"The recommendation of the State Highway Administration, that is making Volta Avenue one way from 38th Street to 37th Street, was a good idea," Mr. Ligon told the council after summarizing a workshop attended by about 20 residents. He said participants opposed making Volta one-way as far as Rhode Island Avenue and were split on whether 39th or 40th Street would be the right tie-in.
The council discussed the report and asked staff to pursue targeted outreach. Mayor Lopez said the town should survey residents on streets directly affected (including 29th Street, 38th and Windham) and suggested distributing flyers and door-to-door notices so neighbors know about upcoming hearings. "It's always good to have those to back up whatever decision mayor and council is to take," he said.
Council members flagged related corridors the town should consider. Interim Police Chief Bob Altoff and several councilors noted Utah Avenue and other nearby streets may need a phased approach if Volta were changed. Mr. Ligon said changes to navigation apps and post-implementation monitoring (Google Maps, Waze) would be necessary so routing adjustments do not create new problems.
What happens next: councilors agreed to gather more resident input and to include Volta Avenue on a future regular meeting agenda for additional public testimony before any formal vote. The mayor and staff indicated they would attempt to schedule further public comment opportunities between this workshop and the next regular meeting.
Why it matters: one-way conversions can alter travel patterns, emergency routing and local access. Councilors emphasized balancing safety improvements with the potential for rerouted traffic to burden other residential streets.
