Mixed Signal

One downtown neighborhood’s traffic solution could exacerbate
another’s traffic problem—but a change of direction remains
possible.

Because of the planned widening of 22nd Street and the construction
of a grade-separated interchange at Kino Parkway, business owners in
the Millville neighborhood—located north of 22nd Street and east
of Park Avenue—hope for continued street access, especially for
commercial trucks.

The Millville group fears an eventual loss of access to 22nd Street
due to the street-widening, so last year, they sought the installation
of a traffic signal at Santa Rita Avenue and 22nd Street. (See “Traffic
Troubles,” May 15, 2008.) That idea was shot down, but they were told a
light would be installed in a few years at multi-lane Park Avenue and
either 18th or 19th Street.

One Millville Neighborhood Association member says that about 160
trucks daily exit the area at Park Avenue and 19th Street, usually
early in the morning.

To reach a consensus on where to place the new light, a six-member
subcommittee with representatives of the three surrounding
neighborhoods—Millville, Armory Park and Santa Rita
Park—was assembled by the city of Tucson.

Their first meeting was in January, and according to the minutes,
one of the Millville representatives supported the light being placed
at 19th Street. He also asked that no median be installed at Park
Avenue and 18th Street that would prevent traffic from crossing the
street.

The other Millville spokesman also endorsed the light at 19th
Street, whether the median was included or not. Based on those
recommendations, the subcommittee unanimously backed a proposal which
included the light on 19th, with a median on Park Avenue.

However, things soon began to change. First, the Millville
representatives requested the median south of 19th Street be removed,
and that it stop 115 feet south of 18th. Then, in June, the group
completely reversed itself and endorsed having the light installed at
18th.

“The city said the median had to be there,” recalls business owner
George Kalil, president of the Millville Neighborhood Association. He
says that when the city sent a representative to inform people in the
neighborhood of the median requirement, the unanimous opinion about the
light at 19th was, “No way!”

“People didn’t want to have to step over the barrier to get across
the street,” Kalil explains.

According to Kalil, a light was apparently planned for 18th Street
several years ago when Park Avenue was widened. In addition, a city
consultant on the current project stated in September: “The heaviest
traffic count is on 18th and supports a light there.”

By that time, the city’s Transportation Department had also publicly
indicated its preference for the signal to be on 18th.

However, the turnaround left the Armory Park neighborhood—west
of Park Avenue—in a quandary.

Even though there are speed bumps, a traffic circle and other
mitigating devices on 18th Street west of railroad tracks in the
neighborhood, some truck traffic still illegally uses the street to cut
through the area. (See “Drive Through,” Jan. 25, 2007.)

“I don’t think any of us is thrilled about the light going in,”
suggests John Burr, head of the Armory Park neighborhood environs and
transportation committee. “I personally don’t like the idea of
compromising an important part of downtown to let people drive wherever
they want to.”

Burr fears installing the light will create a truck route from
Interstate 10 directly through the neighborhood. Despite that, at its
September meeting, the Armory Park Neighborhood Association agreed to
“support further development of the 18th Street light, with guaranteed
mitigation agreements to absolutely prevent truck traffic westbound
through Armory Park on that street.”

For his part, Kalil says he doesn’t want his company trucks going
through the Armory Park neighborhood. “We won’t be driving that way,”
he promises.

Both Burr and Kalil say they hope something can be worked
out—but whether that can happen remains questionable.

According to Transportation Department spokesman Michael Graham, his
agency is looking at a variety of options, including speed tables,
traffic circles, curb bump-outs, additional signage and even electronic
gates across the street.

Graham stresses, though, that the Transportation Department doesn’t
support closing the street, because of environmental-service and
emergency-access issues.

On the other hand, Councilman Steve Leal, who represents the area,
thinks blocking traffic on 18th Street is the only solution.

“It shouldn’t evolve into a quasi-arterial,” Leal says of the
street. “It needs to be a cul-de-sac or have balustrades installed at
the railroad tracks. Signage and (traffic) circles are silly, because
traffic is just going to ignore them.”

Last week, city officials held a meeting with Armory Park
representatives to discuss possible mitigation measures. Whether a
solution—short of closing the street—that will satisfy the
neighborhood residents can be developed remains to be seen.

“We’re trying to work well with all our neighbors,” Burr indicates,
“but people here are not excited about more traffic through the
neighborhood.”

Tucson Weekly contributor Tim Vanderpool is an Armory Park
representative on the Park Avenue signal subcommittee.

This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2009.