Another Northwest City Facing Challenges Changing Downtown

The city of Roseburg has plans to improve downtown, but some aspects have already drawn complaints.

The Roseburg News-Review reports the work is being done in anticipation of the state completing an overhaul of the Highway 138 corridor between Interstate 5 and Diamond Lake Boulevard.

The city wants to add bicycle lanes, replace parallel parking with back-in angle parking and convert two-way streets into one-way streets.

Officials say the changes will make it easier to park downtown, but some business owners say it'll be just the opposite.

Insurance agency owner Ken Clark says many drivers would have a hard time backing into a space, and the back-in parking would throw car exhaust into businesses.

Meanwhile, Ken Deatherage says a one-way street would be "horribly disruptive" for his auto-repair shop.