Brownwood City Council approved on first reading ordinances which will change the flow of traffic around the new fire station which is nearing completion of its construction.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the council, ordinances were adopted on first reading to make the following changes in the flow of traffic around the fire station:*One-way traffic along Congress Street from Adams Street to Lee Street: This change is proposed due to the visual obstruction created by the Transportation Museum sign and the horizontal and vertical curvature of Adams Street. Congress Street has previously been designated a one-way from Adams Street to Chandler Street, where the oncoming traffic from Lee Street could turn onto Chandler in the past; however, now Chandler Street has been closed in order to build the fire station and no roadway is available for this traffic to turn before the current one-way portion of the street. This change would make the entirety of Congress a one-way street. The spaces in the parking lot adjacent to the mini-train are marked to allow entrance from Congress.
*One way traffic along Greenleaf Street from Chandler Street to Adams Street: Greenleaf is very narrow and one of the exit routes for the fire trucks when en route to the south side of town. No residences or businesses front this section of Greenleaf Street.
*No parking zones along the northeast side of Chandler Street from Greenleaf Street to Carnegie Street: This portion of the street is very narrow according to City Manager Bobby Rountree and the no parking zone would make certain that fire trucks had room to travel down Chandler when necessary. There is one residence and one business located along Chandler, both of which have off street parking and will be able to park on the southwest side of the street.
*No parking on Greenleaf Street from Lee Street to Adams Street: Greenleaf Street is too narrow to allow parking and for vehicles to maneuver onto the street from parking lots or fire trucks exiting from the station. No businesses or residences face this section of the street.
*No parking zone along the east side of Congress Street from Adams Street, northeasterly 345 feet toward Lee Street: This section of Congress Street is directly adjacent to the transportation museum and is the portion from Adams Street. This change is proposed to allow fire trucks to maneuver from Congress Street into the fire station, parking must be prohibited along the side of the street adjacent to the Transportation Museum from Adams Street 345 feet north (north side of the driveway to the fire station apparatus bay). Parking will be allowed from the fire station driveway to Lee Street on the southeast side of Congress Street adjacent to the Transportation Museum.
These ordinances will be considered again at the next regularly scheduled city council meeting. City Manager Bobby Rountree explained that all of the ordinances may be amended or modified before final approval on second, third and final readings.
Pictured above is the new fire station. Below is a map of the proposed changes.
