Phoenix's longstanding traffic fixture, the reverse lanes on 7th Avenue and 7th Street, could witness a significant change as a new traffic safety study receives a nod from city officials. Dating back to the 1970s, these lanes switch directionality depending on the time of day to accommodate rush hour flows, but the practice has sparked controversy among locals. As reported by ABC15, resident Dwayne Witten has experienced firsthand the repercussions of this system, needing to rebuild his fence twice after traffic-related accidents.
A pushback from the community has gained momentum, with a petition calling for an end to the reverse lanes racking up over 4,000 signatures. Business owners and residents cite safety concerns and the negative impact on commerce. Kelly Bower-Hall, owner of Hatch-It on 7th Avenue and Missouri, told AZFamily, "Get rid of it, get rid of it completely. Nobody pays attention, there is far too many people coming down here that are not from here that don’t even know what that lane is. They’re in the wrong lane they can’t turn, accidents, horns all the time."
Despite criticisms, Phoenix’s street department points to previous studies suggesting that removing the reverse lanes could increase travel times by as much as 40% during peak hours and lead to more accident-prone intersections. Nevertheless, the dissenting voices are not going unheard. The city council is poised to discuss the matter, giving residents like Mark Howard, owner of The Royale and Royale Kitchen and Cocktails, a platform to air their grievances. "I’ve been pushing for a long time to get rid of these suicide lanes and they are suicide lanes," Howard said in an AZFamily interview.
The city's forthcoming decision on the traffic study could mark a turning point for the arterial roads of central Phoenix. The outcome will be awaited by many, including the generations, that have navigated the nuances of these "suicide lanes," as per AZFamily.
