The repaving of South Mendenhall Street has allowed the neighborhood’s traffic-calming initiative to get under way after years of planning. As part of that effort, the 4-way stop on Mendenhall will be moved to Walker Avenue effective August 7. The existing 4-way stop at McGee Street will become a 2-way stop, with only the traffic on McGee stopping. Many neighborhood residents wanted both intersections to have 4-way stops, but the city’s transportation department refused to allow it.
The new lines that have been painted on Mendenhall reflect another element of the plan. Some parking spaces in the 100 block have been switched to the south-bound side of the street, and the no-parking zones all along the street have been better marked. Rather than seeing a straight, clear lane from Market Street to Carr Street, drivers now see the center line shifting from side to side, deliberately narrowing one side and then the other to provide a visual incentive for drivers to slow down and follow their lane.
Further traffic-calming enhancements will be added to Mendenhall. Funding for the project comes from College Hill’s Municipal Service District funds.