There's a new traffic pattern on Pearl Street in downtown Buffalo. Crews put the finishing touches on converting the old one-way street to two-way traffic, with a bike lane, early Friday morning.The one-way signs have been removed and a double-yellow line is now painted down the middle of Pearl Street from West Tupper Street to Upper Terrace near Canalside.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says a traffic study determined there was a growing need for the $2.5 million investment.
"With downtown growing, more new businesses downtown, new residents downtown, more events and visitors downtown, this was necessary to ease congestion and move traffic more smoothly and efficiently in downtown Buffalo," Brown said.
Along with new asphalt, street signs and traffic signals, Public Works Commissioner Steve Stepniak says the project involved upgrading some utilities.
"We did electrical upgrades, we did signal upgrades and lighting upgrades," Stepniak says. "To the streetscape project where we actually enhanced some of the sidewalks and curbing, the enhanced striping with the bike lanes is really going to stand out because people travel that way."
Brown says the new two-way traffic pattern on Pearl Street will also reduce the potential for traffic tie-ups when there are special events on the downtown waterfront.