OGDENSBURG -- The City of Ogdensburg’s Department of Public Works will be installing "one-way" direction signs today, Nov. 25, to change Lake Street to one-way between Spring and Grove streets.

Traffic will be allowed to travel only from Spring Street to Grove Street on this section of Lake Street, according to City Manager John Pinkerton.

Traffic will no longer be able to enter the Spring Street Bridge area via Lake Street.

The change aims to improve traffic safety near New York Avenue and Spring Street, which is one of the city’s busier intersections.

The city reviewed three options to reduce the traffic problems but opted for the least expensive, which was simply establishing one section of the street as a one-way.

The project cost is estimated $25,341.

City councilor Michael Morley voted in a council meeting Nov. 12 against the proposal saying that he would prefer to see an additional roadway added.

Councilor William Hosmer said he believed the establishing the one-way street was the fastest and least expensive way to address the safety issue. He also noted that this option allowed the city to consider the other options in the future.

Councilor Jennifer Stevenson said the money simply isn’t available for the other options at this time. She said formulating the budget under the tax cap would be difficult without adding additional costs to the city.

A second option would have closed a portion of Lake Street running from Spring Street to the walking trail. That plan included the establishment of a paved parking lot and turn around for vehicles.

The remaining portion of Lake Street would have been open to two-way traffic, but would dead end at the walking trail. That project was estimated at $46,331.

A third option included a new roadway being built along the walking trail, including a portion of the Maple City Trail.

The new road would go under the Lake Street Bridge and would be one-way heading north. A portion of Lake Street from Spring Street to the new road would be one-way heading south.

The remaining portion of Lake Street would remain two-way traffic.

That project was estimated at $126,920.