Downtown Davenport Partnership Director Discusses One Way Changes

This morning as Davenport's 3rd Street changed from a one-way to a two-way from River Drive to Marquette Street, we had the Downtown Davenport Partnership's Executive Director, Kyle Carter, in the studio to talk about the monumentous change.

Dwyer opened the questioning with the question everyone was thinking - "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kyle said he's heard that one a lot lately, but explained some reasoning behind why the one ways will change.

He said that in 1954, when they switched 3rd and 4th Streets from two-ways to one-ways, it was due to a difference in culture. All of the banks were downtown, 4th street was home to multiple multi-leveled department stores like Sears and Montgomery-Ward, and those factors led to a much higher trafficked area.

"It was like "Chicago-type traffic jams at many times of the day."

But, he explained, now that the city has expanded out to miles away from downtown, the needs have changed.

Kyle said that the businesses downtown will be easier to access, and the slowing of traffic will help people notice the businesses and shops downtown more easily, making everyone make some more money.

Once the project is fully completed, it will create easier access from business to business in the downtown area.

Hear Kyle's full interview with Dwyer & Michaels here: