Duluth Considers Making First Street a Two-Way from Mesaba to 24th Avenue East

Some First Street businesses do not want the change

DULUTH, Minn. – Big changes could be coming to one of the busiest streets in Downtown Duluth.

The city is considering a plan that wold make First Street a two-way street from Mesaba Avenue to Twenty-Fourth Avenue East.

City officials think it could improve traffic flow and reduce driver confusion, but some businesses don’t like the proposal.

Right now, First Street is a one-way through most of Downtown, but it becomes a two-way from Third Avenue East to Eighth Avenue East.

That can be confusing to drivers, says Keith Hamre, the city’s Director of Planning and Economic Development.

He adds that Duluth’s one-way streets are remnants from before Interstate 35 opened through the city.

Modern studies have shown most traffic takes I-35 and Fourth Street (a two-way street) instead of the city’s one-ways.

Hamre says if the city makes First a two-way it’s important that everybody is as clear as possible about the change.

“When you go from a one way to a two way, you have a lot of driver disorientation,” explained Hamre. “People don’t know if they’re on a one way or two way or not, they don’t see the signage, it gets lost especially in the business section it gets lost in the clutter for business signs and other signs.”

Some Downtown business leaders think First Street should remain a two-way.

Staff at Sammy’s Pizza are concerned the change would limit customer parking.

“Also our delivery, our big trucks, we don’t have alley access so our food and our beer and our beverages that get delivered here pretty much every day, they usually double park, which when it’s a one way it’s easy for traffic to keep going, but if it changed to a two way it might affect that,” said Sammy’s manager, Alex Perrella.

A consultant is now working on a traffic analysis study about the proposed change.

Another public meeting will happen in September or October and a final report is expected at the end of October.

Hamre says the city may consider making Michigan, Second, and Third Streets two-way streets in the future.