After years of study and planning, pending any weather delays, 3rd Street in Davenport will become a two-way road (one lane in each direction and center turn lane) between Marquette and River Drive beginning at 5 a.m., Thursday, November 6.
The conversion stems from the Downtown Davenport Partnership’s Master Plan, Davenport 2030: A Resilient City, which was accepted by the Mayor and City Council Jan. 27, 2021.
“It’s not just a commercial neighborhood, it’s a residential neighborhood too,” Kyle Carter, executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, which has championed the transition for years, said Thursday morning at Davenport Public Works.
“And when you look at all the examples around the United States of when these conversions have been done, it brings better visibility to commercial spaces; there’s a safety aspect to it, and it’s just a better general sense of community -- when you’re driving to someplace, and not through it, you treat it differently,” he said.
Another reason for the switch that often is forgotten is the city is trying to establish a permanent detour in case of flooding, Carter said.
“We’ll finally have a permanent detour, where people aren’t guessing how to get in and around downtown when water comes up,” he said. “The bi-directional piece on 4th and 3rd is critical to making that work.”
There will be an “enormous amount” of new signage put up to direct motorists between one-way and two-way streets, Carter said, noting similar concerns were raised when the streets were converted to one-way in the 1950s. (3rd goes eastbound and 4th westbound.)
“I know that muscle memory is something that we need to make sure we’re doing a good job with signage as well,” he said. “I think it will be a matter of time before people develop that new muscle memory.”
“With the abundance of signage, new painting and the social media campaign we’ve been running for so long, this should not be a surprise to anyone,” city engineer Brian Schadt said.
The number of parking spots downtown will not change, nor the process of snow removal, he said.
There will be increased police presence during the first morning of the conversion.
On the morning of the conversion, there will be lighted signboards up at Marquette and 3rd Street, at River Drive and 3rd Street, and LED signage at mid-blocks. Additionally, Davenport Police Officers will be present at the above locations and at Harrison Street during peak travel times.
Third Street has been resurfaced from Telegraph to Harrison, and similar work has started on 4th Street, Schadt said, with that two-way conversion happening by fall 2026.
Emergency response services have been consulted in the process, and those vehicles will be able to use the center lane to get through in emergencies, with other vehicles pulling to the side.
Ald. Marion Meginnis, who represents the downtown area, said these roads really needed resurfacing, especially 3rd Street. The city received a federal grant of $9 million for the work.
“It’s a huge project,” she said. “It’s tremendous when you are working on a stretch of road that long. We’re used to this happening on 53rd; this was an enormous project and continues to be – well-needed and well-deserved. I’m thrilled for all of this entire area of resurfacing and delighted this has happened to the ward, and it’s continuing.”
“This is exciting for the 3rd Ward, for the west end, to have this going on, to have this part completed and next year to have the rest,” Meginnis said. “It’s by the largest project that’s been in done in 3rd Ward in my time.”
This spring, the city initiated a significant $14.1 million, multi-year project to resurface and convert portions of 3rd and 4th Streets between Telegraph and River Drive, starting with 3rd Street. The work on 4th Street started in late September with the closure of the road between Pine Street and Thode Court. Drivers should follow the signed detour or find an alternate route during this initial phase
Drivers should be mindful that traffic signals at several intersections will also be removed as part of the conversion. The intersections at 3rd and Western, Scott, and Ripley will become two-way stops, while the intersections at 3rd and Pershing and Iowa will become four-way stops. The removal will help to reduce unnecessary stops and is based on use, need, and national traffic control standards.
The intersection at 3rd and Gaines streets has been closed for upgrades. Concrete will be cured by next Tuesday. Minor finish work will be performed and the intersection reopened, aligned with the conversion to two-way travel between Marquette and River Drive on Nov. 6, according to the city.
For answers to frequently asked questions on the conversion, visit the city website HERE.
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