Several downtown Wichita streets will switch from one-way to two-way traffic. Here’s when

Several downtown Wichita streets will open to two-way travel by the end of this month, according to the city.

The city started to convert Emporia, Topeka, English, Market and Main streets between Kellogg and 13th Street earlier this year.

Emporia, Topeka, English, and Main streets are expected to open to two-way traffic by the end of February, with Market’s completion targeted for spring.

“In the meantime, you will continue to see crews working in the area to prepare for those conversions,” Mayor Lily Wu said during her weekly media briefing Thursday.

The city said in a post on X on Thursday that the conversions would be complete when weather allows city contractors to paint new markings on the streets.

A city spokesperson also said that it will likely make an announcement prior to the change.

The soon-to-be converted streets have been primarily one-way streets for a number of years with the intention of helping the flow of traffic into and out of the downtown core. According to the city, the conversion will be safer for vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

The conversion is part of the city’s Downtown Streets Conceptual Plan, which was approved by the council in 2023.

That plan also includes eventually implementing what are called “road diets,” on Broadway, Waterman and William streets. Road diets reduce the number of lanes for vehicles in an effort to slow down traffic to make the streets more bike and pedestrian friendly.