Save Our Streets Still Fighting Two-Way Conversion

  • Friday, February 21, 2003

Officials of Save Our Streets said Friday they still plan to keep fighting the two-way street conversion despite a new city plan.

Chairman Charles Gearhiser said at a press conference at his law office on McCallie Avenue, "SOS favors leaving the streets the way they are and letting the people vote before wasting millions of dollars on unnecessary projects."

He said SOS has collected "several thousand" names on petitions calling for a referendum on the controversial changing of McCallie and MLK/Bailey. He said nearly 7,800 names are needed.

City officials said Tuesday the plan had been altered by taking out much of the on-street parking and putting two lanes of traffic each way except for one lane each way on McCallie between Central and Georgia.

Mr. Gearhiser said, "We respectfully ask the support of all Chattanooga registered voters and ask them to sign a petition. It is not a 'done deal.' It is not too late."

He also said, "The city has started its propaganda campaign to sell their 'compromise.' It is not a compromise. It is the same old two-way street plan with another new wrapper.

"It is still unsafe and costly. It is also impractical and unneeded."

Mr. Gearhiser said narrowing McCallie from four lanes to one "is going to cause major congestion whether it begins at Dodds Avenue or Central Avenue."

He said that with the parallel parking removed, "where is the economic benefit?" He said each space was supposed to generate $25,000 in new sales.

Mr. Gearhiser said the proposed turn lane "will be congested, especially at intersections without traffic signals. With left turns, parking, bus service, emergency vehicles and heavy traffic, it will be a major bottleneck and dangerous for traffic and pedestrians."

He said the mayor's committee "has not sought a compromise. At the first meeting the mayor and the majority of the committee made it perfectly clear that there would be no compromise from changing their streets from one-way to two-way traffic."

At one point during the press conference, a woman who favors the conversion came in and began speaking in favor of it. Ruth Reynolds said she agreed to lease space in the former Kandy Kastle building on McCallie because she was assured the two-way would go through.

Mr. Gearhiser asked why she was interrupting the news conference, calling her "just an interloper." Bob Elmore, a member of the SOS committee, ushered her out of the room.

Former Mayor Ralph Kelly called the city plan "an insufficient approach to correcting a mistake. They've moved an inch or two. They ought to realize that people don't like this."

Bob Graham, who said he was speaking as a resident of Missionary Ridge and not as chairman of the city neighborhood council, said changing the streets won't cause a surge of business for MLK and Highland Park. He said there is "an aura of crime" that is keeping business from doing well. "Crack cocaine and prostitution are the businesses that are thriving down here," he said.

Marti Rutherford, former City Council member, hit "the arrogance of City Hall." She said, "One third of the citizens have not been consulted. Our voices have meant nothing."

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