STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — City leaders in Stevens Point have voted to move forward with a controversial road diet plan for a section of Stanley Street following a special council meeting on Tuesday.
The 8-3 vote allows the city works department to begin the bidding process next month for work that would narrow a section of the road from four lanes (two lanes going each way) to three (one lane in each direction with a shared left turn lane and bike paths in each direction).
During a three and a half hour meeting Tuesday devoted just to the proposal, residents along Stanley Street expressed strong opinions both for and against the plan. One resident said narrowing the road would create bottlenecks. “My concern is if we go from four lanes to three, we might as well plan on not getting out of our car at certain times of the day,” she added that under the current configuration her and her neighbors already use what she called a “little turn-around” to try to get ahead of traffic.
Others said they didn’t feel the need for bike lanes along the street because many bicyclists tend to avoid the area due to high traffic, however one resident said she has been known to ride on the street several times a day. “I will use the bike path, I don’t know if it will make it any safer for me, but I guess I’m a courageous cyclists because I want to ride my bike, it’s what I do.”
Tuesday’s meeting was held at the community room of the new Stevens Point Police Station. Crowds grew so large that several people were funneled into an overflow room, but were still allowed to speak in the main meeting room.
It remains unclear which section of Stanley Street will receive the diet. The council is examining two possibilities with cost being the biggest factor in which will win out. A start date for the project also hasn’t been established.
