APPLETON, Wis. — Chris Cunnington is a regular commuter to downtown Appleton, usually on two wheels.
He’s seen recent changes to city’s main downtown roadway, College Avenue, up close.
“As a cyclist and pedestrian, it’s been a huge difference for me,” Cunnington said while helping out at The Wild Goose Exchange. “I feel safe on a bike and it’s just easier to get through town and across town.”
He moved to this area two years ago.
“Coming from Colorado where I was hit several times, this has been the safest place I’ve been able to cycle for the last 10 years,” Cunnington said.
In the summer of 2023, the city implemented a pilot program aimed at calming traffic on College Avenue in the heart of the city’s downtown. It cut the road from four lanes down to three lanes with the goal of reducing speeds and improving safety.
Bike lanes have been added and parking hasn’t changed.
Appleton Director Of Public Works Laura Jungwirth said the latest study numbers indicate traffic continues to flow on the avenue.
“Traffic time has not increased,” she said. “It has remained relatively the same if not decreased as vehicles travel through that corridor.”
Jungwirth said stats on traffic crashes are a notable part of the most recent report.
“We have also seen a 30 percent reduction in crashes. That has been very positive,” she said. “We’re kind of hanging our hat on that. This has improved safety through this corridor.”
A decision on if the changes stay, will be up to the city council in late winter.
Cunnington said he hopes the changes are permanent.
“It’s easy for me to get downtown. I can park, I can go eat, ride my bike, and park it just as easy as I could a car now,” he said. “It makes it more accessible for me.”