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Following One-Way Debacle Greenville to Change Traffic Calming Process Across The City

The rising traffic issue in Greenville is a continuous dispute that has often been referred to as the “Battle of McPherson Lane”.

As an overview, the issue revolves around 2 residents of a street near the renowned Augusta road. They have filed a lawsuit against the city of Greenville for a partial closure of the street.

Some of the allegations include the city has violated rights stated in the American constitution to its citizens, as those who use the street have to look for other alternatives due to it becoming a one-way street.

Let us take a look at the causes and claims needed in the case to gain a better understanding of it.

Case History

This case dates back to April of 2017 when a local commercial developer sought the approval of the city to renovate the shopping center between Augusta and Faris and asked permission to rezone some parts of the land.

Many residents had expressed their concern about the traffic, which runs between two of the prominent shopping and eateries of the region.

However, they did not oppose the rezoning, as they believed that the city would turn the street into a one-way street to help reduce the increased traffic.

The residents of this particular lane as well as nearby trees have requested a permanent barricade that would turn McPherson Lane into a one-way street. This change was approved by the local City Council.

Months later, City Council had informed its residents to enter a traffic calming process.

In its basic sense, a traffic calming process is a multi-step process wherein residents vote on various options like traffic islands or speed bumps. Everything was sorted until residents from the neighboring streets objected, as it caused them trouble while commuting.

However, 2 residents have filed a lawsuit against the closing of this lane, which hinders the free flow of traffic on city streets dedicated for public use.

Even though it was beneficial for a few residents, they feel that it can create chaos and havoc, especially during the busy hours of the day.

A Circuit Court judge heard both the arguments from the prosecutor and the defendant concerning the plaintiff’s request to prevent the construction of a permanent barrier on the street. The lawsuit is still pending and is expected to rule.

The city will hold on to its decision before proceeding with court processes. It is important to note that the lawsuit was filed after a year-long debacle regarding whether or not the barricade should be used to turn the lane into a permanent, one-way street.

Plan Of Action

Mayor Knox White seemed dissatisfied with the result and pledged to make significant changes to the system.

The current system allows for closures of streets, as well as, other traffic limiting measures such as diversions or neckdowns.

The new policy would eliminate all of these options. Another thing that would change is the target audience for who gets to vote on the traffic measures. In this case, the residents were determined by a research study created years earlier in the area.

Today, the city’s Planning Commission is set to review each of the cases to understand the voting demographics, as well as allow residents to vote on who participates or not.

Furthermore, the Planning Commission will also consider approving and managing engineering assessments for the city.

The city seeks more flexibility in calming traffic and would like to take up a fluid approach. According to City Councilman George Fletcher, this approach will take into account the neighborhood and street connections.

These changes will allow engineers to check what is working and what is not, and provide a detailed analysis to residents.

In addition to the above, the engineers have also asked for the creation of a three-way stop sign. However, many people have had second thoughts, as these signs are more dangerous if placed in an improper location.

The city would like to employ various methods and tactics to improve the driver’s perception and coming traffic. They are looking more into mini-roundabouts, as well as formulate solutions for big vehicles such as trucks.

Although there is no clear result on these changes, there has been positive feedback which indicates that the changes have been working.

Conclusion

On the whole, the case of the McPherson Lane is a long and continuous battle that demands a solution soon.

If you encounter problems with traffic in the surrounding neighborhoods of this street, it is advised for you to get in touch with a good Greenville Car Accident Lawyer for the benefit of your safety.

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