MAUMEE, Ohio — Changes are on their way to Conant St. in uptown Maumee.
In the coming weeks, lanes will be temporarily reduced to just one lane in each direction and a center lane for turning. The changes apply from the Anthony Wayne Trail to Harrison St.
Mayor Richard Carr is hoping this "traffic diet" improves traffic flow and makes the uptown area more pedestrian friendly.
Businesses on Conant like the idea of new on-street parking.
"I'm excited to see, as a test, what it does," Maumee Valley Chocolate and Candy owner Jason Peters said.
Businesses owners in uptown on Conant say they are cautiously optimistic. The current four lane set-up will be repainted for one lane in each direction with a center lane for turning.
"It reduces speeding, it reduces accidents, has a better flow of traffic," Mayor Carr said, "And, people do not have to look for an alternative of where to go."
Some business owners don't mind the current traffic. Annie Helbert of Salon 308 believes it's how she's built her customer base.
"I had a lot of people I asked, 'how did you find us?' And they said, 'sitting in traffic,'" Helbert explained.
If the test run is successful, Carr said the city would be able to add on-street parking on Conant and widen sidewalks.
The plans will add more room for shoppers to walk uptown. But, business owners are also concerned congestion might scare those same shoppers away.
"There is some trepidation as to the congestion it's going to cause," Maumee Tackle Fishing and Kayaking Outfitters owner Mario Campos said.
Campos, who's owned his fishing shop for 30 years said people use this route if there's backups nearby.
"If there's an accident on the 475 bypass, this is the bypass area," he said. "People get off at the two exits, Perrysburg and Maumee."
Peters was concerned the congestion would result in less foot traffic and more cars.
"I do worry that I'm just going to avoid the whole area," Peters said. "People might think that."
But Carr said this traffic diet has worked in other cities and towns in Ohio and across the country, citing High Street in Columbus and other areas like East Lansing in Michigan.
And, he also believes the added space could allow for more outdoor seating for restaurants and more downtown events like the farmers markets and festivals.
"What we're trying to do is create more pedestrian-friendly uptown Maumee," Carr said. "That's the end goal if it works. And again, we won't know that until the results are in."
You can expect the lines to repainted over the next three weeks and remain that way for study through the winter.