Residents speak out against one-way streets

    PENN YAN—The Penn Yan planning board held a public hearing to discuss the conversion of both Water and Wagener Streets into one-way streets Monday, Aug. 6. Penn Yan residents attended the meeting and many voiced their disapproval of the one-way conversion. Out of the 22 people who attended, all but one person wanted to leave the streets the way they currently are.
    Planning Chairman Clifford Orr made it clear the planning board was not going to vote on the issue that night, nor were there specific plans made to convert the streets, but that the planning board just wanted to get public feedback on the proposition of it.
    David Nielsen said when the Liberty Street bridge was closed, he had to close off half of his parking lot on his property at 105 Water St. to be used for traffic. He also said by making Water Street a permanent one-way street, it would create confusion for drivers as well as a safety hazard.
    “Up to the day the bridge opened, there were people going the wrong way on Wagener,” Nielsen said.
    Bill Berg said he was not previously pushing for one-way streets in the past, but was instead commending the town on how well they worked while the bridge was closed down. Berg said that converting Water Street and Wagener Street now that the bridge is open would actually create more safety issues, and said that he did not think it would be a good option at this time.
    Susan Gibson of the Lyons National Bank that is bordered by both Wagener and Water Streets also expressed her safety concerns, saying how one of the staff vehicles was hit while leaving the property.
    “From our point of view, it is not a good idea,” Gibson said. “Even the one-way pieces would cause people frustration.”
    The only person in attendance who advocated a one-way street was Vince Rosato, a property owner on Water Street who said by having the road become a one-way, it would create more parking spaces. He said there is not enough parking in Penn Yan, and that more would bring more people into the community and would enhance businesses.
    Board member Brent Bodine laid out three different scenarios for the future of the streets before the board and attending community members.
    The first leaves Wagener as it is and turning Water Street into a one-way, which would create 28 new non-diagonal parking spaces. The second scenario left Water Street as it is, but converted Wagener Street into a one way from Liberty Street toward Main Street, but Bodine said this would only create around six new parking spaces. The third proposed scenario left both streets with their regular traffic patterns, but would require Water Street to be widened to accommodate more parking spaces, which Bodine said would require the village to purchase the property space necessary for widening the street and cost an approximate $40,000 to $45,000.
    Those in attendance continued to voice their disapproval, and made it clear they wanted the traffic patterns to remain the way they are. Orr said it was pretty clear from the public who showed up that they are against changes being made on any street, and he will consider their opinions when discussing the matter with the village board.
    The next planning board meeting is Monday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.