Traffic on the block of Ocean Street between D and E streets in the Knightville section of South Portland has returned to two-way after city employees re-striped the roadway last week.

The new traffic configuration also includes parallel parking on both sides of the street, instead of the angled parking on only one side, which was part of the prior one-way traffic plan.

Following the orders of the City Council, traffic can now flow two ways the entire length of Ocean Street.

Meanwhile, a petition is once again circulating in Knightville by those hoping to convince the city to put the traffic back to one-way, as it has been since about 2012.

Due to the controversy surrounding the traffic pattern issue, with many in Knightville wanting it to remain one-way and others arguing passionately for two-way traffic flow, some in the neighborhood have come together to try to help heal the divide.

Calling itself Bridging Knightville, the conciliatory group held its first meeting last week. The goal is provide a nonpolitical forum on controversial issues, while also focusing on the positive things happening in the community, according to organizer Dan Hogan, who lives on E Street.

Advertisement

The group is as much social as it is informative, he said.

“Bridging Knightville hopes to bring the neighborhood back together,” Hogan added at the June 1 inaugural meeting.

In addition, the group aims to use meetings to showcase local businesses like Verbena, whose owner, Melissa Coriaty, agreed to host and cater the small event. When recalling her decision to open her business at 103 Ocean St. nearly 10 years ago, Coriaty said, “This is a great area, (and) there’s so much potential here.”

Sun Media Wire staff writer Alex Acquisto contributed to this story.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.