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RESOLUTION R-1617-28: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, ACCEPTING THE MAIN STREET AND GRAY STREET TWO-WAY IMPLEMENTATION STUDY DATED AUGUST 2, 2016.
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BACKGROUND: Main Street in Downtown Norman was originally constructed as a two-way street with two traffic lanes (one per direction) and on-street parking (60-degree angle). The roadway was reconfigured in the 1950's to include four substandard traffic lanes (two per direction) that were only 9-foot wide (lane width is typically 12 feet). Prior to the conversion from two-way to the current one way system, the block between Peters Avenue and Crawford Avenue was the most accident prone segment of roadway in the City of Norman.
In 1968, City Council approved a contract with Wilbur Smith and Associates to develop a Traffic Operations Improvement Program. One of the recommendations was to convert traffic flow on Main Street and Gray Street from two-way to one-way. The final report stated:
"To ensure the continued viability and growth of the Downtown area of Norman, it is essential that improved traffic operations be provided. The increasing traffic demand requires the maximum efficiency and capacity be realized from the existing street system through the application of traffic engineering operational improvements such as effective traffic signal system control, one-way operation, parking regulation, turning movement control, and intersection channelization."
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 focused attention on increasing operational efficiency of existing street and highway systems in urban areas by initiating "TOPICS, a Traffic Operations Program to Increase Capacity and Safety. A TOPICS Program for Norman was developed by Pinnell - Anderson - Wilshire and Associates of Dallas, Texas. The Plan was completed in March of 1971 and was accepted by Council resolution on May 4, 1971. Norman TOPICS identified Main Street, between University Boulevard and Porter Avenue, as the ...
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