City to add new routes to the Morgantown pilot program
Residents in South Park and Suncrest will soon be the second and third neighborhoods to have streets closed as part of Morgantown’s “Healthy Streets” pilot program.
“It’s to alleviate concern from motor vehicles by kids playing in the street,” said Matthew Cross, pedestrian safety board chair.
There will be a “soft closure” of Demain Avenue from Park Street to Kingwood Street in South Park today, the city announced on Wednesday. Western Avenue from Somerset Street to Lawnview Drive in Suncrest will be soft closed on Aug. 27.
A soft closure means the street will only be closed to thru traffic, Morgantown Communications Director Andrew Stacy said.
Residents, delivery vehicles, emergency personnel, guests of residents, workers, ect., will all be able to drive and park on the street, Stacy said. So far, parking has not needed to be removed or limited.
One of the reasons those two streets were picked was because both experience thru traffic cutting through at high speed when the main roads are congested, Cross said. That creates extra risk in the neighborhood.
The soft closures allow for neighbors to interact, kids to play, people to walk their dogs and more, Cross said.
Wagner Road, in 1st Ward, was the first street to be soft closed on July 15 and feedback has been mostly positive and constructive, Stacy said.
“Most wish to see us roll these pilots out more aggressively, and often on their own streets. People have expressed an appreciation that the city is embracing actions that they have perceived as impossible to request or hope for in the past,” he said.
Some of the changes could be permanent changes based on what’s learned and the community’s need to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stacy said.
“It is important to remember that the transportation network is always subject to change based on citizen feedback, current and projected traffic demands, and funding availability,” Stacy said.
The healthy streets initiative was created by the Morgantown engineering department, the traffic commission and the bike and pedestrian boards.
Feedback on the program can be provided at info@morgantownwv.gov.
To volunteer as a “block captain” visit morgantownwv.gov/healthystreets.
Block captains monitor streets, maintain signs and report concerns or conflicts.
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