Cancellation allows time to re-think

Ordinarily the cancellation of a major local infrastructure improvement project would be cause of disappointment.

Not this time.

Plans by the Indiana Department of Transportation to re-vamp Meridian Street (U.S. 27) through downtown Portland have run into some serious pushback.

INDOT is proposing a switch from four through-traffic lanes to two. It’s also proposing the elimination of two downtown stoplights. And plans call for one side of the street to have what’s known as reverse angle parking.

At least two of those ideas have run into opposition.

Elimination of the stoplights at Walnut and High streets would have the net effect of speeding up traffic through downtown, not slowing it down.

Any pedestrian can tell you that the real problem is getting across Meridian in the short amount of time allowed by the current lights. It’s often safer to cross against the light rather than with it.

Those lights serve a valuable purpose, making traffic safer for vehicles and pedestrians.

The real stoplight problem is their timing, and that shouldn’t take a huge investment to correct.

It’s also clear that the jury is still out on reverse angle parking.

Some communities that have adopted it love it, but the city’s experiment with reverse angle parking stripes on West Main Street has demonstrated that local drivers are going to have a difficult time adjusting to it.

The whole thing needs to be re-thought, so the delay announced this week is actually good news.

In the meantime, here are a few low-cost suggestion that could quickly make downtown safer and more attractive to businesses and shoppers:

•Lower the speed limit on Meridian to 25 mph between Votaw and Water streets.

•Time the lights to give pedestrians more time and allow smoother traffic flow.

•Pass an ordinance banning the use of “jake brakes” on semis through the business district.

•Provide more opportunities for local input during INDOT’s planning process.

And, in the meantime, practice reverse angle parking on West Main Street to see if you can get the hang of it. — J.R.