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By kevlahan (registered) | Posted June 23, 2016 at 16:47:07 in reply to Comment 119545
Except that in the 1970s Jackson Square was seen as a move to address the decline of downtown. Even in the 1960s and 1970s there was talk of the decline of downtown and various efforts at urban renewal. The decline was obviously much faster in the mid-80s to late 90s but it was already evident earlier on.
And independent businesses complained about the impact of the one-way streets soon after they were converted.
The things you mentioned are other significant factors, but the fast one-way streets are just not suitable for an urban centre that requires pedestrian traffic. It makes revival much harder and it is not surprising that the streets that are doing well commercially now are all two way, relatively slow traffic streets (Locke, James N, Ottawa, King William).
It is really hard to imagine Main Street being a bustling successful urban street full of shops and restaurants and offices with its ribbon thin sidewalks next to 5 lanes of fast traffic with no street parking.
Remember that when the bus lane was installed and parking was shifted to the other side of the street some shop owners claimed that their customers wouldn't even cross the street because it was so unpleasant. That indicates something is seriously wrong if longstanding customers won't park on the other side of the street!
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