Important changes are coming to the way traffic moves through downtown Hyannis.
Starting in late September, drivers will begin to see new signage, new road striping and, if all goes as planned, by next spring, two-way traffic on Main Street and South Street.
It’s the start of what’s being called the Great Streets project for Hyannis. The Barnstable Planning and Development Department and Department of Public Works partnered with walkability expert Jeff Speck and Stantec Consulting to develop the final plan. A series of public meetings was held to keep the public informed and gather ideas.
“This has been an ongoing project for the last five years,” says Barnstable’s Director of the Department of Planning and Development James Kupfer.
He says returning Main and South Streets to two-way traffic after decades of one-way traffic will not require much alteration to the actual road layouts.
Much of it involves what Kupfer calls “lines and signs.” White lines on one-way streets will be changed to yellow lines to denote two-way traffic and signage will be updated to let drivers know about the change. Stop signs will be added at intersections to control traffic.
As part of the project, the sidewalk will be extended on the north side of North Street to make it easier for pedestrians to walk to the West End Rotary area. On Old Colony Boulevard between South and Main Streets, a shared-use path will be installed to make it easier for pedestrians to walk to the ferry terminals at Hyannis Harbor to the bus terminal.
At the West End, a change will be made to give drivers the option of making a slight right turn onto South Street, or staying to the left to enter Main Street. A small park will also be added at the West End.
A troublesome six-points intersection where South Street, Ocean Street and Old Colony Boulevard come together will be replaced by a five-points roundabout with enhanced pedestrian safety features. Kupfer said it should create, “a really welcoming gateway to our inner harbor.”
Decades ago, the decision was made to move traffic more quickly through downtown Hyannis by making Main and South Streets one-way. Kupfer says through the lengthy buildup to the Great Streets project, community leaders came to realize that speed through the village center is not the prime concern.
“We want to have a safe village center for all . We want to be able to move traffic, but at a reasonable pace that allows for safe travel not just for the people going through the village center but also for those coming to the village center and maybe for the folks who live here in the village center,” Kupfer said.
Parking downtown will increase with the addition of some spaces on side streets.
The business community supports the change to two-way traffic.
Kupfer said a campaign will begin to keep the public informed about the changes. A banner will go up across Main Street and messages will be posted to the town’s website and social media, and mailers will be sent to area residents reminding them of the changes.
