The decision on whether to return Sidney’s Beacon Avenue to a two-way street will be driven by public input.
Sidney Mayor Larry Cross said municipal staff have been instructed to develop a detailed plan for including the public in decision-making. That could include open houses and community meetings early in the new year, as well as a mail-out, he said. A web-based option is expected to be online before the end of the year.
“Once we get all the information assembled, then we can start to really look at a rational basis on which to make a decision,” Cross said.
The current layout of Beacon Avenue, Sidney’s main street, was established in 1997. Three blocks — about one-third of Beacon’s length from the Pat Bay Highway to the waterfront — were converted to one way, a move that drew mixed reviews at the time.
Steve Duck, a leading proponent of removing Beacon Avenue’s one-way section, said he welcomes public consultation.
“I think it’s a good process to go through,” he said. “I think it’s a good opportunity just to help people understand it more.”
