An engineering firm studying ways to improve the downtown traffic flow has made minor tweaks to its proposal to make portions of Sparkman and Sycamore streets one-way streets after receiving public comments earlier this year.

Department of Development Director Jeff Johnson presented the response from assistant project manager Brandon Denny from Sain Associates in Birmingham to the council last week. Johnson said the City Council will likely discuss the matter in an upcoming work session and determine if they want to move forward with the project.

Johnson said Sain Associates is still recommending making Sparkman Street a one-way northbound from the Sycamore-Hickory Street intersection to Chestnut Street and making Sycamore Street a one-way from Chestnut Street to the Sparkman-Hickory Street intersection.

The traffic signals on Sparkman Street at Chestnut Street would become a three-way stop while the light at the intersection of Sparkman, Sycamore and Hickory streets would become a two-way stop with no stop sign on Sparkman Street northbound.

One of the tweaks that Denny suggested was to add curb and gutter on Sycamore Street to help “provide more clear separation between the existing parkway and roadway and to define entrance and exit points.”

Johnson also said the engineers want to add another crosswalk for Railroad Street SW across Main Street on the west side of the intersection. Currently, there is a crosswalk on the east side of the same intersection.

Johnson said Sain Associates is also proposing signage or signals to help keep the Railroad Street intersection clear when the railroad crossing signals are activated.