City to receive, evaluate results of parking study

Diagonal parking is convenient for retail customers, a councilman says.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The cost of any change in downtown's parking configuration will be figured out once the results of an eight-week parking study are in hand.
The complete results, including recommendations concerning diagonal parking, are expected next week, said Anthony Iannucci Jr., director of the Warren Redevelopment and Planning Corp. and an economic development adviser to the city.
Iannucci said William Totten, the city's director of engineering, will then determine what costs might be associated with changes in downtown's parking configuration.
WRAP is paying just under $25,000 for the analysis by the consulting firm, Walker Parking Associates of Ann Arbor, Mich. When the firm's study is completed, full results will be presented to the city's traffic commission, Iannucci said.
Study's considerations
Subjects within the study's scope are downtown parking capacity and adequacy on a block-by-block basis, maintenance and improved use of the city-owned Franklin Street parking deck, and on-street parking, including whether it should be converted from parallel to diagonal parking on some streets, Iannucci told this week's meeting of the commission.
"All the streets have different sizes and have different requirements," Iannucci said. The consultants are exploring the possible need to encroach on Courthouse Square if diagonal parking is installed and the city desires to maintain current lane widths, he said.
Michael Keys, the city's community development director, suggested any encroachment on the square might bring an outcry from historic preservationists.
Streets being studied include Market Street, Park Avenue and High Street. On High Street, which is a wide thoroughfare, a reduction in traffic lanes may be warranted, Iannucci said, but he added that, for security reasons, the consultants don't recommend diagonal parking in front of the courthouse.
The consultants will recommend that a walkway be installed from the parking deck to Market Street, Iannucci said. He also said he believes the consultants will recommend that Franklin Street be changed from a one-way to a two-way street in that area to improve access to the deck.
Councilman Felipe Romain, D-at large, said he favors diagonal parking downtown because it is more convenient for customers of downtown merchants than parallel parking.
Traffic signals
In other matters, Totten said:
UWarning signs will soon be installed announcing that the traffic signal at Atlantic Street and Paige Avenue Northeast will be changed from red and yellow flashers to full traffic light operation because many school children cross at this intersection.
UTwo stop signs at Charles Avenue and Harrison Street Northeast will be switched from stopping Harrison Street traffic to stopping Charles Avenue traffic to make them conform to a 1994 city ordinance.
UA two-way stop will remain at Lexington Avenue and Dodge Street because traffic in the intersection isn't sufficient under state standards to warrant a four-way stop.
milliken@vindy.com