Washington Street in downtown Iowa City to convert to two-way traffic

IOWA CITY – Washington Street in downtown Iowa City could see two-way traffic by the end of the month.

Construction could start as early as March 9 and should be finished by March 30 to convert the one-way street, according to a memorandum to the City Council released Thursday. The project is estimated to cost $60,978.

The two-block stretch of Washington Street between Clinton and Linn streets was converted to one-way traffic in 1976 under an urban renewal plan, according to the memo. Most one-way streets are paired with another traveling the opposite direction, but Washington Street is the only stand-alone one-way street in Iowa City, according to the memo.

The switch should make the downtown street network simpler to understand, aid emergency vehicles, enhance bicycle access and improve pedestrian safety, transportation planners have said.

The Downtown Association of Iowa City has endorsed with project.