Travel in downtown Davenport is a lot different after a major change kicked off Monday.
Drivers who would usually head into downtown from one-way Harrison Street are being diverted to Brady Street. It's the first time in decades that we've seen two-way traffic on the Brady Street hill. Almost 13,000 vehicles use the Harrison Street hill each day, with a lot of that traffic now using equally busy Brady Street.
"It's going to take some getting used to, but it’s better than not having access to get down the hill. I drive for the city of Davenport so this is going to be fun with the buses," said one driver.
1984 was the last time traffic flowed down towards the Mississippi River.
"I'm old enough to have gone both ways on Brady before it was a one way. I just hope they get Harrison back operational. It's going to impact getting downtown," another driver added.
A few drivers on Monday were trying to adapt to the change, with one driving into oncoming traffic before moving into the correct lane. The new traffic pattern on Brady Street will stay in effect until work on Harrison is complete. And that could be around Christmas. City engineers say the work on Harrison Street will be extensive, as crews work to repair utilities buried below the pavement. In total, the roadwork is expected to cost $3 million.