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The City of Hamilton is talking about changing major arteries in the downtown core from one-way to two-way streets. Some people want to slam the brakes on the idea, especially taxi drivers who say two-way streets will ruin their business and cost customers more. But other drivers are giving the idea a green light.

Pedestrian: “If you miss your turn you have to go all the way around right? Cause everythings one way down here.”

It’s still only being talked about at City Hall, but the idea of converting main arteries in the downtown to two-ways is already causing a stir.

Elda Jones has been driving a taxi for twenty four years and is currently a blue line driver. she says converting main arteries to two ways would be costly: “It’s a huge mistake, I don’t agree with it at all. For customers, it’s gonna cost more money to take a trip riding down a 2-way because they’re constantly stopped at lights.”

Elda says traffic flows more quickly on one-way streets, especially since the traffic lights are all synced up. With a two-way conversion, a taxi trip could cost customers 25% more, which may make them take the bus instead.

Jones says: “A cab drivers gonna lose out on income.”

The city is considering several streets for a two-way conversion including Main and King Streets from Dundurn to the Delta and Cannon Street from Queen to Sherman.

Brian McHattie is a Hamilton City Councillor: “People are whizzing by at 70 kilometres an hour. They don’t notice the businesses. The real benefit is it slows traffic so it’s related directly to public safety.”

But Councillor Lloyd Ferguson says Main arteries serve an entire city, including industrial sections: “Those big heavy trucks have to get out to the 403 and out to the markets in Windsor, Sarnia, London and beyond. When you start making big trucks go through 2-way roads, it’s gonna create more congestion.”

The last time Main Street was two-way was more than seventy years ago, in 1940.