City talks traffic

On Tuesday (Jan. 12), the Chico City Council’s Internal Affairs Committee pushed the so-called “Second Street Couplet” plan forward for consideration by the full council at a future meeting.

The project, first discussed last August, would make First Street westbound from Flume to Salem, where it would meet a turnaround at the east property line of Chico State. Second Street would be one-way eastbound from Broadway to Flume, and the First-Second-Flume streets intersection would be made into a roundabout. Wall Street would be changed, too, by becoming a two-way street.

The idea is to promote better traffic circulation—the currently troublesome left-hand turns on Second to Broadway and Main would be eliminated and a friendlier bike route along Second would be created, as would more parking via the addition of diagonal spaces.

A majority of the estimated cost—$1.29 million—should be covered by federal funding in the form of $1 million from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. The university is expected to kick down another $280,000 because of the improvements to the Salem Street turnaround.