Bastrop, Tx–City council members were first perplexed Nov. 10, then dissatisfied at a report they heard from a traffic engineer engaged to study traffic and parking issues in Bastrop’s historic commercial district between the Colorado River and Pecan Street and between Farm and Walnut Street.
The traffic consultant, Scott Feldman of Austin-based Alliance Transportation Group, said there is plenty of downtown parking in the study area and good traffic flow at the busiest downtown intersections during normal operating times. His analysis did not cover peak traffic periods, however.
Pressed by council members who said the report did not address complaints voiced by city residents who actually drive through the downtown area as well as business owners and shoppers, Fledman said some improvements could be achieved by making arrangements for the public to use some existing parking areas near Main Street during some business hours and by building new sidewalks to link downtown parking lots to Main Street shops.
Mayor Terry Orr and Council Member Ken Kesselus suggested that elimination of parking on Chestnut Street between Main and Alley A to the west could alleviate congestion in traffic flow through downtown at the busiest times.
City Manager Mike Talbot said he will order additional analysis of traffic flow figures downtown, especially focused on the intersection of Chestnut Street and Alley A, a North-South link West of the 1000 block of Main Street between Chestnut and Spring Street. Many drivers headed east on Chestnut use the alley to avoid the traffic signal and Main and Chestnut, especially during busy traffic times.