A plan to narrow the portion of Carson Street that runs through downtown indicates it's a viable alternative - but only if the Carson City freeway is finished first and other major north-south byways are upgraded to accommodate more vehicles.
Traffic analysis by DKS Associates studied the traffic patterns on and along Carson and takes into consideration what would occur if the street was reduced from four to two lanes.
City officials want to make Carson Street less attractive to drivers simply passing through by diverting some autos and trucks now using it to other locations so downtown businesses can lure more shoppers.
Currently, more than 36,000 vehicles roll through the downtown section of Carson Street daily, according to the study.
"Communities across the country are making their downtown streets leaner, safer, efficient and productive," said Joe McCarthy, the city's business development manager. "Turning four-lane roads into two-lane roads improves mobility and access. It reduces the risk to drive, conduct business, walk or bicycle."
Future anticipated traffic volumes in the downtown area can be accommodated with the narrowing between Fifth and William streets if other key planned improvements in the city's transportation plan - including the widening of Roop Street and the extension of North Stewart Street - are implemented, according to the analysis.
That is, at least until 2030, or when the city is expected to reach a population of 75,000, the traffic studies states. The master plan, created with ample public comment and approved by the Board of Supervisors last year, calls for the narrowing of Carson Street, changes in zoning and other provisions to enliven downtown and looks forward toward a population of that size.
And this milestone number likely won't be reached that soon, said Lee Plemel, the city's principal planner.
"It just seems crazy to me," said Carolyn Tate, a Nevada Appeal columnist who writes with Maizie Harris Jesse and disagrees with the city's plan to narrow the street. "The town won't go backward."
Carson Street used to be only two lanes wide. Tate, who moved here in 1961, however, remembers it being four lanes even then. The downtown street widening was done sometime in the 1950s.
The medians came later, in the mid 1960s, according to Larry Werner, who marched with the Carson High School band in Nevada Day parades during that time.
The analysis also said that retaining turning lanes would be important.
Another consultant, Roger Brooks, who specializes in tourism, urged the city to narrow Carson Street as soon as possible to improve downtown business. City officials, however, can't do it yet because it's a state-owned portion of road. They don't want to do this until the freeway and street improvements are done.
The Nevada Department of Transportation won't give the street to the city until the bypass is complete. The target date for finishing that project is 2011.
Providing sites and amenities for people to congregate is another important component in making downtown more attractive. A small space between the Laxalt Building and Carson Nugget is being slowly transformed into a site for an amphitheater with benches and green space. Use for special events would be during the evenings and on weekends. Workers could enjoy lunches and other breaks there on weekdays.
It's modeled after an amphitheater area in Grass Valley, Calif. Its target completion date is the end of October, so people can view the Nevada Day Parade from the site.
"It's an ideal section because its in front of one of our most cherished historic buildings," McCarthy said. "It's going to be a gathering place in this community."
A lot of people who conduct business downtown are sold on the idea of narrowing the street and making the area more hospitable to longer visits.
"It's one of the best friggin' ideas I've ever heard," said Michael Robbins, owner of Hanifin's Arts and Antiques. "I'm all in favor of doing it."
"I think less traffic and wider sidewalks would make downtown more of a destination," said Kristy Servati, marketing director for the HorseShoe Club. "Driving into the area now is almost irritating. This would make it more charming, give it a nicer ambiance."
The northern extension of Stewart Street is expected to be complete in early 2009 and work to widen Roop Street is expected to be done afterward. If the freeway is complete and other modifications of local byways occur along with the narrowing, the traffic numbers on Carson could be reduced to about 20,000 vehicles.
Curry Street, another north-south byway, is targeted for long-term improvements from Koontz Lane north to Lake Glen Drive. There is no timeline for completion of this street improvement work. These improvements weren't considered in the study, but are expected to further decrease traffic along Carson Street, according to city public works.
"The goal is to turn that unhealthy, unsafe street into a robust, vital and economically sound street," McCarthy said. "You can go back to the future."
• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.
By the numbers
More than 36,000 vehicles roll through downtown along Carson Street each day. Here are some counts and sample estimates of how the traffic could be reduced:
Carson near Ninth Street
2005 2015 2030
Four lanes 36,500 20,500 22,700
Two lanes N/A 19,000 20,300
Carson near Sophia Street
2005 2015 2030
Four lanes 36,000 30,000 31,300
Two lanes N/A 19,200 19,500
If you build it, the cars will come
As long as you widen Roop, extend Stewart and leave left-turn lanes on Carson, once the freeway is complete Carson Street could be narrowed, according to Patrick Pittenger, the city's transportation program manager.
The theory is that motorists will use the road that most accommodates their need. Among things taken into consideration when modeling traffic patterns are future land uses, how many vehicles go through and where they probably will want to go, he said.
"If there's a big road with lots of space, then more people will want to drive on it," he said.
Modeling helps traffic planners create "what-if" scenarios. Analysts can allow for the freeway, and not allow for it, and add or subtract inhabitants or daytime employees, based on the projections of other experts and current traffic counts, for example.
"We were pleased with the outcome," he said of the study, which looked at the feasibility of narrowing Carson Street. "Our consultant was told to tell us what happened, not to make it work. But it worked very well."
Additionally, low volumes on streets that run east-west across Carson Street will allow for shorter stops at those traffic signals when Carson is narrowed and north-south traffic recedes, he added.