Main Street Officially Opens For Two-Way Traffic – First Time in Over 50 Years

After years of work, today, July 11th, Main Street in the City of Cortland is once again open for two-way traffic. It is the first time in over 50 years Main Street is open for two-way traffic, Mayor Scott Steve says. The switch is the last major hurdle for the reconstruction project of Main Street which had major utilities, infrastructure, landscaping, lighting, and parking work done. Crosswalk installation is scheduled to take place next week.

Early Friday morning, city officials held an informal ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the milestone of Main Street becoming two-way again. Retired Police Chief for the City of Cortland Police Department, Jim Nichols, along with past and present chiefs of police took part in the first drive down Main Street from South Main to North Main.

“It’s great to have it done… Main Street looks great as we stand here right now and look at it. I’m excited for what it’s going to bring.” Mayor Steve said to X101 News when asked how it felt with work finishing up. “Twelve plus feet underground gone. Years and years of dirt and a lot compacted in there from power, sewer, water. It was complicated, it was difficult and probably one of the most difficult projects I ever had to do.”

The City of Cortland has provided a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for residents online at Cortland.org. In the FAQ page, the city explains why the decision was made to convert Main Street back to two-way traffic. Signage will be in place to navigate drivers, Cortland Police and staff with the City of Cortland will also be available today, Friday, to assist with traffic flow.

“I was headed to Vietnam and I left. When I fortunately returned a year later, April 1969, [Main Street] was one-way. They changed my Main Street.” Jim Nichols told X101 News when reflecting when the street originally changed from two-way to one-way. “I’ve been in the military police corps, so I pursued a career in law enforcement and as luck would have it, I became a City of Cortland Police Officer.”

Nichols jokingly told X101 News he had worked for 40 years to then return Main Street back to two-way. He continued on to speak on why Main Street originally became a one-way saying it was to lure people back to Main Street. During that time in the 1960s, stores were moving out to the Route 281 and Route 13 corridor. The idea to create a one-way street was to create more parking, remove parking meters, and bring people back to downtown. As time went on, Main Street saw a return of businesses, but also housing developed on the upper floors of buildings.

Visitors will be required to reverse park along Main Street. Signage has been installed directing motorists what to do when parking. According to Crown City Rising, next Thursday, July 17th will be a formal dedication to celebrate downtown and the milestone of switching to two-way traffic. Details may be found HERE. An official ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on the 17th at 5pm.