The direction of traffic flow on side streets and additional parking spaces topped the list of potential changes in store for the downtown area at a recent public meeting.

A public information open house was held at the Cedartown Depot recently to discuss the Cedartown Streetscape Project and view maps of the plans.

Brad Jones, project consultant with Jordan, Jones and Goulding, was on hand with detailed plans.

The project, called Transportation Enhancement or TE-0006-00(626), proposes to reconstruct and enhance sidewalks along Main Street within the Cedartown Main Street Historic District between Sterling Holloway Place and Stubbs Street.

This streetscape improvement will involve installation of new landscaping and street trees, concrete and brick paver sidewalks, new curbing and enhanced pedestrian lighting.

Additional on-street parking is proposed by creating a system of one way streets between Warehouse Street, Philpot Street and Main Street on the following streets: Sterling Holloway Place, Woodland Street and Herbert Street.

Jones said that the Bradford pear trees will be replaced

with a tree that will not interfere with utilities or the concrete. An ornamental Cherry or Chinese Elm or Everclear Elm will be an appropriate choice for size and scale Jones explained.

These trees would not grow into the buildings and probably would not have to be pruned at all, Jones explained.

A type of planter will also be used along with the trees for some flowers.

The original streetscape project began in 1990. It has slowly progressed as funding has been made available through the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Bill.

Jones said, “We’ve been fortunate in what [money] we’ve received.”

Planners are “sitting on the edge of our seats” waiting to see how much funding will be available for this phase of the project, Jones continued.

Through the TE project, 80 percent is federally funded and 20 percent is provided by the city, Jones explained.

He hopes to begin bidding the project out in January.

No formal presentation was made during the meeting, but Jones answered questions from a couple of downtown business owners concerned about potential one-way streets restricting traffic flow for customers and delivery trucks.