Tyler Mayor Don Warren speaks in June 2021.

Results of a downtown traffic study are in, and the Tyler City Council approved a resolution to support using those results when making decisions for future improvements.

The city in August approved an engineering contract with Kimley-Horn to develop a study on downtown traffic with several objectives. Nine months later, the contractor appeared before the council during its Wednesday meeting to present the findings.

When developing the study, Kimley-Horn took several factors into consideration, including a new county courthouse and parking garage, along with historic hotel projects, new apartments, and other downtown projects.

Kimley-Horn used recommendations from Toole Design to create a concept that would support downtown revitalization as more businesses and people come to the area.

The recommendations included two options, with the first reducing vehicle travel on South Broadway Avenue to two lanes to improve pedestrian and bicycle travel. In analyzing Option 1, it was determined the right-of-way repurposing would put more of an impact on vehicles than was desired.

Option 2, or the Hybrid Tapered Approach, would keep the current number of vehicle lanes at the edge of downtown and taper the lanes down as a driver approaches the square, according to the city.

This second option would reduce Broadway Avenue from four lanes at Front Street to three lanes and then down to two lanes by the time a driver reached Erwin Street.

Two miniature roundabouts at Erwin and Ferguson, near the square, would create a sense of place and slow down traffic downtown, the city said. The benefits include reduced maintenance, steady traffic flow alleviating congestion, reduced automobile crashes and pedestrian crossing time.

“The analysis of the hybrid option showed Broadway Avenue maintaining roughly the same vehicular capacity compared to the existing road conditions while improving facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists and allowing businesses to extend outdoor storefronts,” the city said.

Tyler Mayor Don Warren said approving the resolution for Option 2 shows it is something the city supports, not a vote to choose one or the other.

“This whole thing is a concept, and that we’re not voting today to say Option 1 or Option 2. We’re not voting to have a roundabout versus a stop sign. It’s a resolution of support to move forward,” Warren said. “I like where it’s going, and we’ve got to do something. Change is difficult, and people will struggle with change no matter what we do.”

Although changing the amount of lanes and adding roundabouts would be significant changes for downtown, the intention is to reroute traffic passing through downtown to Palace Avenue, Beckham or Gentry Parkway.

“All potential traffic flow changes are to create a destination downtown where people are coming to downtown and not just driving through,” said Amber Varona, Main Street director. “This is another step forward in re-energizing the heart of our city.”

Downtown was the heart of the city when it was first founded and operated as a hub for the city and county.

In the 1960s, the Broadway Square Mall and Loop 323 were completed, effectively directing development toward the south side of Tyler. In the ‘70s, most retail anchors left downtown, and a majority of the remaining buildings were government offices and historic churches.

In 2000, there was a push by the community to see a revitalization of the area. Smith County studies identified the need for a new courthouse and parking lot, and the City of Tyler recommended providing pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.

“It’s not just government agencies. There’s a lot of redevelopment that has been going on,” Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Director Michael Howell said.

Many recent and upcoming redevelopments and studies have been conducted that made recommendations to make downtown a destination. Liberty Hall, the Plaza Tower and Morrison Lofts are a few examples of completed projects, while The Carlton Hotel, The Wilcox, The Lindsey and the new courthouse are upcoming redevelopments.

This traffic study is the culmination of a lot of work that has been going on in the downtown area for quite some time, Howell said. The study was commissioned by the MPO and is scheduled to be adopted by its policy committee by the end of May.

Design is the next phase of the project.