Goodbye to one-way traffic on 9th, 10th Streets? Greeley’s Public Works department wants to hear what you think.

By Trenton Sperry

Public Works has big changes in mind for 9th and 10th streets from 10th to 23rd avenues. The biggest change? Ditching the one-way traffic layout.

During a Greeley City Council work session Tuesday, Public Works Director Paul Trombino said the initial concept involved converting 10th Street, which features more residential properties, to two lanes of two-way traffic. The more commercially-inclined 9th Street, however, would be converted to four lanes of two-way traffic.

Ninth and 10th streets serve as some of the city’s busiest east-west thoroughfares. Both become one-lane roads for the stretch between 23rd and 10th avenues, with 9th Street handling westbound traffic and 10th Street carrying eastbound traffic. The streets have three lanes each, with 9th Street handling between 7,900 and 10,550 average daily trips and 10th Street handling between 8,400 and 10,700 average daily trips.

Trombino said the city in December applied for some grant funding from the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization, but he said public works pulled that application at his direction this past month. His reasoning? This level of change at a critical corridor within Greeley deserves a chance for the city’s residents to give feedback.

According to public works data, this particular corridor corresponds to some of the most traffic crashes in Greeley, and the department’s metrics show it’s a significant safety concern.

Vehicles regularly travel 10th Street eastbound at 40-45 mph, Trombino said, even though speed limits in the area range from 30-35 mph.

So top of mind for public works is “calming” traffic here, Trombino said, which can be done with targeted transit, bike and walkability improvements, especially for children en route to Maplewood Elementary.

City staff plan a neighborhood outreach campaign for this summer to gather feedback – likely in the range of a dozen or more community meetings, Trombino said. In the fall, staff will refine some proposals and bring them to those neighborhoods and to council.

“I appreciate the high-end community discussion,” said Mayor John Gates. “I think this will be the catalyst for lots of discussions.”

Because 10th Street is a state highway, the Colorado Department of Transportation will have to be heavily involved in any changes to the layout of the streets. Trombino said he and his department have had extensive talks with CDOT already, and he said funding for the changes could involve cost-sharing.

“I think (CDOT) would be very receptive to helping us improve the safety of this corridor,” he said.