Will High St & State St in Portland, Maine, Go Back to Two-Way Traffic?

If you’ve been cruising High Street or State Street in Portland, you may have noticed how the traffic can get congested, but on the other hand, when traffic is lighter, vehicles have been reported going to fast. For that reason, WGME reported that the city council just greenlit a plan to revert these one-way streets back to two-way.

According to Wikipedia, the roads changed from two-way traffic to one-way in the late 1960s.

Some people are all about the change, citing that the current one-way setup has become a speedway for drivers and that slowing things down could enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

My question is although that may slow traffic down, will it affect on-street parking? Obviously I'm all in for safety first but Portland has already been struggling with lack of parking, so it'll be interesting to see if the new design can balance the need for more lanes while not affecting the ongoing need for parking spots.

Also, slower traffic will certainly benefit cyclists, but will the bike lane space be affected? Only time will tell, but it’s safe to say this plan has some Portlanders, like myself, buzzing with anticipation.

WMGE also stated that during the council meeting, this vote was more about approving the initial concept, with a detailed planning phase coming up next.