Drive times for commuters working in downtown Des Moines could get a little longer in an effort to make the city's streets safer.

A new mobility plan for downtown Des Moines calls for eliminating nearly every one-way street, reducing the number of vehicle lanes and growing the city's network of bike lanes.

If fully implemented, those changes could add one to three minutes for drivers during peak hours, according to the Connect Downtown report released Monday.

"This isn't just an exercise to add bike lines," said Larry James, chairman of the Urban Land Institute of Iowa. "The purpose of the project is to really focus on safety of all users, including drivers, by slowing traffic to the speed limit, and to encourage economic development."

The city worked with the Urban Land Institute of Iowa and the Greater Des Moines Partnership to commission the plan.

Reintroducing two-way traffic will reduce vehicle speeds and end drivers "jockeying" for position, according to the report. Two-way traffic also has been shown to reduce crime and benefit local businesses, it says.

Walkability — feeling safe walking — is really the "canary in the coal mine" in terms of a vibrant downtown, said Paul Moore, an urban transit planner for Nelson\Nygaard, a firm based in San Francisco.

"What we find around the country is that retail is much, much more likely to thrive on two-way streets," he said.

More:Plan cuts downtown one-way streets, adds protected bike lanes

In the 1960s, cities struggled as people migrated to the suburbs, Jeff Speck, author of "Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time" told the Register in an earlier interview.

"The thought was: If everyone is going suburban, we should give them easy access to downtown," he said.

The cities responded by building highways running through their centers and converting streets into one-ways. "But all that accomplished was making it easier for people to leave," Speck said.

Now, downtown Des Moines is experiencing an unprecedented wave of development, with 2,300 apartment units opening this year. A plan like this would benefit downtown residents and lift up businesses by attracting more foot traffic, said Kris Saddoris, vice president of development for Hubbell Realty Co.

"We have a lot of beautiful places downtown, but the reality is we haven't focused on how to get around other than in your car," Saddoris said. "(The plan) is just as critical to retain the growth that we've experienced as it is to our future."

Connect Downtown could cost $33 million if fully implemented, and another $500,000 in annual maintenance if the city installs bike lanes on nearly every major thoroughfare, which the plan calls for.

Des Moines leaders gave it positive reviews during a Monday morning workshop while openly questioning how the city would pay for its ambitious ideas.

"As much as I’d like to think there’s money to do this, there’s not," Councilman Chris Coleman said.

Councilwoman Christine Hensley said the business community would have to be "an integral part" of funding it.

Operation Downtown, which represents downtown commercial businesses, raises about $3 million annually through a special tax levy. That money is used to fund street cleaning, maintenance and beautification efforts.

Gene Meyer, president of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, which manages Operation Downtown, said the group would look at the levy in 2018, but there have been "no discussions" yet about contributing to the Connect Downtown projects.

"All options are on the table once (the city) approves the vision," he said.

The City Council is expected to consider adopting the plan on Nov. 20.

Grand Avenue/Locust Street

Grand Avenue would be converted to two-way traffic from the river to 18th Street. There would be one vehicle lane running in each direction and a protected bicycle lane on each side of the road. Parallel parking would separate vehicle and bike lanes.

A center turn lane for cars would run from MLK Parkway to 18th Street.

Locust Street would be converted to two-way traffic with one lane in each direction from 18th Street to the Des Moines River. There would be no bike lanes, save a two-way cycle track on the south side of the street from 15th Street to Fleur Drive connecting to the trail. Parking would remain on both sides of the street.

Second Avenue/Third Street

Second Avenue from Wells Fargo Arena to Walnut Street would be reduced from three lanes to two, but remain a one-way street. A bicycle lane would be added on the east side of the street protected by a lane of parallel parking for cars. Third Street would remain a one-way, three-lane street.

University Avenue

University Avenue is a barrier for residents trying to reach downtown from the north, according to the report. Pedestrian crosswalks are often difficult to see, and the sheer size of the road creates hazards for school children at Hiatt Middle School and Carver Elementary.

University Avenue would be reduced from four to three lanes from East 15th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Bike lanes would be added in both directions.

Mercy Medical Center supports the plan and agrees it will make streets — including those directly surrounding the hospital’s campus at Sixth and University avenues — safer for all users, interim President Mike Wegner said.

Mercy is a founding supporter of the 6th Avenue Corridor, a group working with the city to reduce the number of vehicle lanes on Sixth Avenue north of University Avenue and add a 13- to 15-foot wide bicycle lane and pedestrian path.

Sixth Avenue "will be strengthened through implementation of the Connect Downtown plan," Wegner said. "And components of the Connect Downtown plan will support Mercy’s campus master plan effort to revitalize and expand its downtown campus."

One ways

Main north-south one-ways going in and out of downtown, including Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth streets, East 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue would be converted into two-way streets.

Parking

Overall, the plan calls for a net increase in the number of on-street parking spaces and time they’re available.

Rush-hour parking restrictions on Sixth Avenue, Seventh Street, High Street and Locust Street would be eliminated.

"It’s a huge problem if you’re a retailer or restaurateur," said Larry James, of the Urban Land Institute.

If you want to go to dinner at 801 Chophouse, you can't park right in front of the building, James said. "That doesn't make sense to me.... This will help retail and restaurants at the street level."

Alejandro Ledezma, who manages the men's clothing store Lord Midas in the Des Moines Building at Locust Street and Sixth Avenue, said the biggest problem for his business is the lack of metered parking spaces.

"They’re always filled. So if you have a store downtown, it’s tough for your customers to find parking," he said.

Bike lanes network

Most cyclists are not comfortable riding in downtown Des Moines, and many find the city's on-street bike lanes confusing, according to the report.

Connect Downtown proposes a network of bike lanes that would touch nearly every major thoroughfare downtown.

Bike lanes would separate cyclists from vehicles and include signalized intersections that could be triggered by bikes and markings at potential “conflict zones” with cars.

Bike lanes would be added on streets where travel lanes are reduced.