Monica Zuchowski’s vehicle could be heading in a different direction in Lansing, if a two-way street conversion plan receives approval from the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Lansing City Council.
The plan would convert six of the city’s one-way streets - Allegan, Ottawa, Pine and Walnut streets and Grand and Capitol avenues - into a two-way network by 2003.
Lansing city officials say the alterations will benefit the area, but Zuchowski, president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association, is skeptical.
“In light of budget restraints that the city is under, I don’t know if any of the conversions are warranted,” said Zuchowski, who is against the proposed changes to Capitol and Grand avenues.
The project could cost roughly $1,726,000.
Officials say the transformations could increase accessibility to the area, develop visitor-friendly roads and redevelop business and residential areas.
“There’s an opportunity to convert streets so that people aren’t driving around in circles,” said Andy Kilpatrick, an assistant transportation engineer at Lansing’s Transportation and Parking Office.
Transportation officials are determining if the conversions around the Capitol Loop are viable.
“Right now people have to go three blocks out of their way to get to where they want to go,” said Shane Silsby, project manager and principal traffic engineer at the parking office.
