[Uptown] Erb/Bridgeport/Caroline/Albert Reconstruction

[Pheidippides]

I agree with your other points, too, particularly lane width. But this is really important. Converting Erb and Bridgeport should be the plan.

Right now we have the lights synchronized in both streets, making them efficient ways in and out of town. Your suggestion is to replace them with two way streets substantially slowing this means of ingress/egress. This is desirable how?

Exactly what precludes two-way streets from being synchronized? Weber and Fischer-Hallman have synchronized lights and work well. Plus, most people don't even realize about the synchronization to begin with and race ahead at 70-80kph and then end up waiting at the next light instead of keeping a steady pace; a behaviour that contributes to the unsafe nature of both streets.

Two-way left turn lane (TWLTL) roads have as much capacity as a multi-lane road and since Erb and Bridgeport are not nearing capacity, along the majority of their stretches, it would make sense to make them more liveable, safer, and connected while not reducing the capacity. The two directional travel also adds to the connectivity (more ways to get to the same place) of the street network and so if there is a crash or construction there are alternatives to take to reach the same destination.

While out of the "scope" of this particular EA, it is one of those network level issues that should be decided first, and not after lots of other smaller decisions make it an impossible option through lack of foresight.