While the Federal Government was in shutdown, Mansfield city council was hard at work with 24 pieces of legislation Tuesday night. Bill 13-296 was the dominant topic of the night, absorbing three fourths of the nearly two hour session.
If passed, the bill would grant local businessman John Fernyak permission to personally fund a conversion of Main and Diamond Streets to their former two-way status. Currently the streets are one way southbound and northbound respectively. Fernyak’s believes that the conversion will increase quality of life and economic development outcomes for Mansfield residents.
Five people in addition to Fernyak took advantage of the caucus session to voice their opinions. One, Sandra Hall of Main Street Wooster, came at Fernyak’s request; the remaining four had vested interests in downtown Mansfield. Of the vested parties two were in favor of the change, two were not.
Mary Jean Baker sells antiques at Carrousel Antiques and is very pleased with the economic growth and vibrant culture that is growing downtown, but she is very concerned that the two-way conversion would stifle or even undo that progress. “There is a psychological thing about when you go someplace you want to see the door that you’re going into. And you won’t see that if you have to come around from behind or a parking place down the street. And I think that’s why people go to strip malls and places, especially for safety reasons nowadays,” said Baker. She also expressed particular concern for senior citizens.
The Squirrel’s Den is the chocolate shop owned by LaDonna Secrist. She remembers when downtown streets were two-way and doesn’t remember parking being a problem. Her shop is a popular destination for tourists and Secrist’s own experiences out of town shaped her commentary.
As an avid antique shopper, Secrist and her husband frequently visit other small towns. “Sometimes we will drive round and round and round trying to get to a place because they have one-way streets, and trying to figure it out, sometimes you just give up and leave, you know if the traffic is not good. And I’m just afraid that if we stick to this one way street eventually it’s not going to be good. I’m all for two-way.”
Kelly Ball’s Downtown Hair Designers has been in business for 44 years, 27 of which located on Main Street. She is concerned that the change would be detrimental to her business. “I’m afraid that if you take that parking away I won’t have much of a business because I rely on that so much. I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m not one for change,” said Ball, “but I think the idea of two way streets is ridiculous. This is my business and you’re destroying it.”
Councilman Scott Hazen asked about impact of previous one-way to two-way conversion projects that occurred on streets adjacent to Downtown Hair Designers. Ball conceded that those projects had no impact on her business.
Shopping in Mansfield is a tradition that goes back to Mike Skidmore Senior’s childhood. “I’m not from Mansfield, I only come to Mansfield to spend money or visit,” he said. He advocates two way streets to slow down traffic and welcome pedestrians, “Go back to two way streets for people who want to walk around, spend money, and have slow traffic. It’s to keep the older people with money in their pockets from being run over.”
Fernyak was passionate about the value and potential impact of returning the streets to two-way status. He believes that the change will increase the foot traffic and visibility of downtown businesses, one outcome that all seem to agree is important.
He provided each member of council with a copy of Jeff Speck’s The Walkable City and flagged a particular passage of note. He also pointed to Wooster as an example of the success of two-way street conversions and has offered to take council members, the mayor, police and fire chiefs on a field trip there.
Councilpersons Ellen Haring, Pat Hightower, and Garnetta Pender as well as the mayor agreed to participate in the trip.
It is rare for private individuals to offer to finance large-scale municipal projects of this type, and it is important to note that even if council passes this bill the project will not move forward without a professional traffic study and further city council review.
See the Bill 13-296 in the related story at left.
