POTTSTOWN >> Frequent drivers of North York and Johnson streets are going to have to get used to some new traffic patterns next year.
As part of the Walk-Bike Pottstown initiative being undertaken by the borough, parts of both of those streets will be converted to one-way, according to a presentation made by Assistant Borough Manager Erica Batdorf.
The change is being driven by a multi-year initiative that, among other things, is meant to create safe routes to schools, and so a series of bike lanes and sidewalk repairs are being undertaken with $3 million in grant money and focuses along routes to the borough’s six school buildings.
Key connections include schools, downtown Pottstown, parks, the YMCA and the Schuylkill River Trail.
Some roads in the borough are wide enough to accommodate bicycle traffic and two-way vehicle traffic, but not enough for an actual bike lane, at least according to PennDOT regulations.
As a result, those roads will become what Batdorf described as a “bicycle boulevard,” with pavement markings “and a share the road type of facility.”
“You going to see that more in the borough along Evans Street and Franklin streets,” she said.
But when it came to York and Johnson streets, “it became a much more sensitive treatment that requires a traffic conversion because of the width of the roadway,” said Batdorf.
In other words, because York and Johnson streets are narrower, they cannot accommodate both two-way traffic and “share the road” bike markings.
As a result, they will be converted to one-way streets to make room for the full bike lanes.
Currently, North York Street is one-way north from High Street to Beech Street. Under the proposal that would be extended all the way to Eighth Street, where Lincoln Elementary School is located.
Further on the four blocks from High to Beech, the current parking on the right side of the street would be shifted to the left side.
The same would occur for the blocks from Beech to Fourth Street.
From Fourth to Eighth streets, parking would remain as it is, on the left side.
Johnson Street would be converted to one-way south from Eighth Street down to Second Street.
The only parking change would be from Second to Sixth Street, where parking on the right side would be shifted to the left side.
“Johnson Street is very dense, so in talking with the police department, the traffic control officer, this is the best way to go,” she said.
“This really connects with the High Street bike lanes, the Schuylkill River Trail and creates a full network,” Batdorf said.
She said the borough is very close to getting approvals from PennDOT and the project could go out to bid as early as August and construction could begin in spring of 2017.
