Venetian Theatre Hillsboro

At Hillsboro hearing, testimony split on one-way street conversion

The Hillsboro Planning Commission began hearing public testimony last night on the city's proposed conversion of downtown streets from one-way to two-way traffic.

Staff members Karla Antonini and Don Odermott presented a variety of options to the board. In addition to potentially changing Main and Lincoln streets from 1st to 6th avenues along with 2nd to 5th avenues from Lincoln to Walnut street, the staff said the city is studying opportunities for adding back-in angle parking and elevated mid-block crosswalks.

The plan , which proponents say will increase direct access to business, could cost somewhere between $1.7 million and $3.3 million. A roughly equal number of people testified in favor and against the proposal.

Doug Sellers and Doug Johnson, downtown business owners and long-time advocates of the plan, spoke first. Sellers suggested four-corner stop signs could be a cheaper option than replacing the traffic signals.

Venetian Theatre and Bistro owner Denzil Scheller said he often talks to people who get lost driving downtown. "Our downtown is unfriendly to new people," he said.

Several residents spoke against the proposal. They said the plan was too expensive and the one-way grid is not confusing.

Karen Hershey, who works on Southeast 7th Avenue, said she visits the Venetian for plays and dinner. She buys her husband's sugar-free chocolate at The Artfull Garden .

 "I very much care about downtown," she said. But so far the city has not convinced her that converting the one-way streets would revitalize downtown. Other solutions -- including having businesses that stay open later -- could also help.

"My concern is Hillsboro residents have never been asked why they don't go downtown," she said.

Hershey offered to help survey residents. If the one-way streets are really the main deterrent, she said, "then I'll be all for spending that kind of money.

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