March 19, 2024

No ‘road diet’ needed for First Avenue East

Last week plans were unveiled to Newton City Council to reduce the four-lane portion of First Avenue East to two lanes, with the addition of a turning lane and bike lanes.

City council members should be applauded for demanding more research on this drastic proposal. While approving the $1.1 million asphalt resurfacing project, the council will still have the final OK on design plans, which will be determined this fall — about a year before the project is scheduled to get underway.

An important component of the project will add sidewalks to the portions of First Avenue East where they are lacking — ultimately increasing walk-ability along Newton’s busiest street. It’s presumable these sidewalk completions will be utilized for biking, strollers and other means of mobility.

Anyone who drives across Newton knows the pains of First Avenue — the frequent stop lights dictated as necessary by the Iowa Department of Transportation, the thousands of vehicles driving the route each day, the pedestrian traffic.

A city official describes the two-lane proposal as a “road diet” which will lower the number of points of contact and accidents — as well as the speed.

As motorists who have made their way across Newton finally approach the portion of First Avenue East with four lanes it’s a sigh of relief to have arrived at a route that’s easier to navigate. Certainly if accidents were identified as a major concern along this route there would have been a proposal to lower the speed limit or take other steps to address this before now.

We urge city officials to consider other design options that keep First Avenue East one of the easiest routes to travel in Newton. We urge our readers to contact their city council representatives to encourage sensible design plans.