One-way street proposal gets cold reception at listening session

Approximately 25 people, including several  business owners, attended a listening session Monday evening on the City of Rhinelander's proposal to convert Brown Street to a one-way.  All those who chose to speak during the 90-minute session were opposed to the proposal. In fact, several speakers expressed concern that a potential change to one-way  would put too much additional traffic pressure on Courtney and Stevens streets as well as drive customers away from the businesses on Brown Street. 

"Brown Street is operating just fine and as my grandma always said if it's not broken, don't fix it," shared Abbey Dall, executive director of the Frederick Place homeless shelter. "Just leave it as it is. It's working great."

Zach Hext, owner of Magic Man Games on Brown Street, concurred. He stated he believes there is sufficient parking available in the business district. The problem, as he sees it, is a lack of signage showing motorists where to find public parking lots and how to utilize them. For example, he referred to the public lot on Stevens Street (across from the library) as "Rhinelander's best kept secret."

Hext also suggested better traffic control, such as stop signs or lights, might alleviate problematic sight lines for motorists at intersections such as the one at Brown and Rives.  He also suggested the city consider the addition of a standalone parking structure, if sufficient space were to become available.

Mayor Kris Hanus, who noted that the land currently occupied by the police and fire departments would become available for redevelopment if the city's goal of building a new public safety building comes to fruition, expressed some interest in that concept.  However, toward the end of the meeting, Jim Rosenberg, a former City of Wausau council member, noted that the price tag for a parking structure built in Wausau while he was  an alderman was approximately $19 million.

Several of the business owners present expressed concern that a potential change to northbound traffic only  would cause motorists to go elsewhere  if  they can't immediately locate a  parking place.

"I'm convinced I'll lose business by losing that southbound traffic," said Rick Colvin, co-owner of the Dinky Diner. "I'll lose business if they miss their parking space."

'I see a lot of negatives and I don't see a lot of urgency (to make this change)," he added.

When the session was complete,  Hanus explained that  the topic is expected to be on  the common council's  July 28 agenda. The council could chose to hold additional listening sessions, commission a traffic study or drop the idea altogether, he explained. For his part, Hanus stated he would convey to the  alderpersons who were not present (three were in attendance) that the public is not interested in making the change to one-way but would like to see  additional signage and better traffic control in the downtown business district.