1st Avenue in Sterling to reopen as two-way street

STERLING, ILL. (KWQC) - Starting Friday morning First Avenue will reopen as a two-way street with construction complete.

The City of Sterling said in a media release from 5th Street to Lefevre will now be a two-way street on First Avenue.

New traffic signals will be functioning at that time, the City said. New lane markings include turn arrows and a yellow broken centerline which indicates two-way traffic. Signs have been placed on the cross streets indicating there is now two-way traffic.

The City urges drivers to drive with extra caution and at reduced speeds until traffic becomes accustomed to the traffic pattern change.

A study conducted by the University of Louisville found that the risk of collision or injury doubles when driving through a neighborhood of one-way streets, the City said. The study also found if you are riding a bike or walking, you are also more likely to be injured on a one-way street. In terms of property values, they found “continued correlation with increased property values on two-way compared to one-way streets.”

The City said the benefits of converting one-way streets to two-way streets include; slower traffic speeds, reduced accidents, reduced accident severity, decrease “Vehicle Miles Traveled” by eliminating indirect routes (driving around the block to get to your destination), pedestrian safety tends to increase, property values tend to increase (creates more of a neighborhood feel) and eliminates wrong-way drivers.

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