- Jim Hall, owner of Orsi’s Italian bakery, reports close calls with wrong-way drivers on Pierce Street.
- The street was made one-way in 2012 to control speeding and divert trucks.
- Changing the street back to two-way requires signatures from property owners in the 2 block area.
- Neighbor Pat Venditte believes the change should happen without a petition.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Over 10 years ago 2 blocks of Pierce Street in Little Italy was turned into a one way, now neighbors are asking the city to change it back to avoid accidents.
The stretch begins at 8 Street in front of Santa Lucia Hall and ends at 6 Street. Jim Hall is the owner of Orsi’s Italian bakery, it’s just one block away from the one way.
Hall says he’s run into some close calls with drivers heading in the wrong direction.
Hannah McIlree
“I, myself was almost hit twice in the last couple of weeks by people not knowing that they have to go farther before they make their turn. And it just, it needs to go back to where it was,” said Hall.
According to city documents this stretch was turned into a one way in February 2012. In hopes to help control speeding and divert trucks heading to a nearby project.
Now Omaha Public Works Engineer Austin Rowser says, a petition will need signatures from property owners, totaling 67% of the property frontage along the two blocks.
Hannah McIlree
“We have a one-way street; it’s been in place for several years. There’s a request to move it back to a two way show and, and we would like to see the property owners sign off on that,” said Rowser.
Giovanni Bortera says they should not have to do the petition because the neighborhood believed the change was only supposed to be temporary.
“All this takes is the public works director to issue a work order to change the sign from a two way to one way and post that. is now returned to a two-way designated street. Very simple, very easy, minimal cost,” said Bortera.
Another neighbor Pat Venditte says he feels Public Works has too much control over the neighborhood.
“The public works has a lot of power and, whatever they decide to do they’re going do. And the only person that can Trump City Hall, the public works is of course, Mayor Stothert,” said Venditte.
Rowser says it’s now in the hands of property owners within the two blocks. If the gain enough signatures the block could be reverted in the spring.