Uptown Public Realm Strategy

[ijmorlan]

That's what I was thinking.  I typically think one way streets are dumb, so there's some bias there.

One way streets can be both helpful, and problematic, they can be helpful in allowing the city to fit vehicle access in places without enough room for two way traffic, as well as using direction restrictions to prevent rat running through neighbourhoods.

However, they can also be used to create urban highways through our downtown core.

This looks like it would be the former.

Well said. Even for major traffic routes, one-way streets can have a green wave at whatever speed is considered acceptable, and can be designed so travelling consistently faster is impossible without running red lights. The problem is not really with the streets, but with the planners — if they want to build a highway through town, they can design the street for that; and if they want to build access to destinations within the area at reasonable pedestrian-compatible speeds, they can design the street for that.

As to the hypothetical direction of Willis Way, I think westbound would be what is wanted. Erb, the next street north, is eastbound. Giving up one motor vehicle lane for pedestrians and bicyclists would make a lot of sense.