BY LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hoping to turn around a blighted stretch of Over-the-Rhine, city council is poised to move Vine Street in a new direction -- actually both directions.
A proposal to convert Vine Street to a two-way street appears to have the support of a city council majority, but likely will be met with some resistance from community leaders.
About 50 supporters of maintaining northbound Vine Street between Central Parkway and McMicken Avenue turned out for council's public works hearing Monday afternoon. Some carried signs in support of the one-way traffic pattern and cheered the speakers who reiterated their case to council -- one-way is safer for youths and older residents who may face speeding traffic.
Katrina Lackey, a mother who must walk her children to St. Francis Seraph school at Liberty and Vine streets, told the committee she fears for her children who have to maneuver carefully when they cross the busy road. "For the safety of our neighborhoodd . . . we would like to keep it one way," she said.
Only a handful of supporters representing the two-way faction showed up.
"This issue is about revitalizing the neighborhood period," said Chris Frutkin, who favors the conversion and works with the Central Vine Business Association.
Vine Street has been an issue for three decades. In the mid-1970s Vine Street was converted to a one-way, and remains a northbound street today.
But neighbors and a bloc of the business community, at odds over the direction traffic should flow, can agree on one thing: the area needs an economic shot in the arm.
Councilman Todd Portune, chairman of the public works committee, proposed four options to deal with Vine Street traffic flow for council to consider at Wednesday's weekly meeting.
In a 2-1 vote, a majority of the committee supported converting Vine Street to two-way.
Mr. Portune was the only committee member to vote against the measure.
Council members Tyrone Yates and Jeanette Cissell, who serve on the committee, supported the two-way Vine Street measure, which could be implemented in 1999.
After the vote, Mr. Yates said he was still keeping an open mind. Later, Councilman Dwight Tillery offered the same sentiment saying that he's "leaning" toward the two-way option. Both wanted to reserve judgment in case there was more information on the subject they hadn't explored.
In addition to Mrs. Cissell, council members Phil Heimlich and James Tarbell said they support converting Vine Street to a two-way. Staff members said Mayor Roxanne Qualls also would support a conversion.
Council members Charles Winburn and Minette Cooper said Monday they oppose two-way measures. They, along with Councilman Portune, would like to keep the street one-way.
