New Britain herald., 1926-05-25
TRAFFIC AND BU USINESS
 RETROSPECT

terest involved. After approximate ly two years of one-way traffic around Center square a retrospect Of what has occurred in the light Of events and what was expected to occur lends a rather pleasant angle to the conversation.
 When after long agitation it was finally decided to try the one-way experiment there was considerable head-shaking and some astute citi- zens saw nothing but commercial disaster ahead. But there has been none of it serious enough to notice. It is safe 10 say that a majority if not all of those who pointed with alarm at the erstwhile innovation are now convinced they erred.
 It was said by some observers at the time that inasmuch as all traf- dc from West Main would be con- Delled to turn south at the Center and go around the triangle before turning north, business on Main north of West Main and Church street would be given a death blow. It has turned out that the reverse has proved to be the case. This section of Main street, instead of going to the bow-wows, has gone in the other direction.
 T. was said that Main street west of the triangle, with no stop there for trolley cars, would gricvously suffer. Nothing of the kind has re- suited. It Is true that there is one conspicuous1y empty store in the block, but this came about entirely because of special condition that actuated the former tenant in nov ing to one of the other doomed sections of the downtown salient. And some Of our most active mer- chandising establishments proudly continue to prosper along the block from West Main to Walnut streets.
 Main street east of the triangle, where the trolley cars stop, con- tinues as prosperous as it was be- fore. with no great difference that can be attributed primarily to the advantage of being closest to the trolley stop. Such prospective im- provements along the eastern side of this section of Main street evil dently has nothing in common with where the trolleys stop nor with one-way traffic. The new theater being built does not come under the head of merchandising and in all probability such improvements must be measured with another yardsticIl. The completion and operation of the new playhouse, of course, will greatly enhance the brightness of this section of the street and cannot do otherwise than reflect increased importance to the business situation along that stretch of the thoroughfare.
 Construction of a new business block on Arch and Walnut streets, a few steps from Main street, like wise would tend to upset the erst- while theory that one-way traffic would hurt that as well as other sections of the downtown section By fall the situation in this section Of the city will be much improved even over it's present high rating,
 Has ono-way traffic around the Center square triangle been in- iurious 10 any interests whatso- ever? Candidly, 1t would take a Philadelphia lawyer or a Solomon 10 find injury after two years of such traffic. The fact that numer- ous business observers were wrong in their diagnosis proves the in- hrent difficulty Of taking all things into consideration in q city that is giving every evidence of constantly expanding and intensify- ing its trade appeal
 Who, for instance, can tell den- nitely what caused the increased use of downtown West Main as a business artery? The boom" along this street started before the one way traffic system around the Gen. ter began and continued apparently obliyious to this innovation. Wasn't 1t merely because after some mer- cantilo establishments began uttliz- ing this section with greater effect. and people were being educated 10 look upon it as Q business artery, that others took notice and the up- building increased? IL seems to be a trujsm In business that where one merchant goes and registers sue cess, others will follow. And the crowds naturally fellow automatic ally.
 What probably was unforeseen when the uneasincss about one-way traffic around the Center triangle was under discus4jou was the innu- cncc Of private automobiles upon downtown business in the future. II has turned out that autois,s arc not greatly put out when they have