Several midtown Reno business owners are calling on RTC to remove the median that separates traffic on S. Virginia St., which they say prevents customers from getting to their businesses.
The owners of Pangolin Cafe and the Emerson Bar vented about their frustrations with the median to the Reno city council last week.
"I've had a couple of customers express that they just keep on driving by," said Pangolin Café owner Travis Sandefur.
In the half-mile stretch between Vassar St. and California Ave. — the busiest section of midtown — drivers can only make a left turn at two spots in either direction. Sandefur and Sanctuary Botique Salon owner Jenna Kisler said many customers are frustrated trying to visit their businesses and they believe many simply don't bother.
"There is another bar down the street, another coffee shop, another salon. So if they miss ours are they just going to keep driving down the street to the next one?" Kisler said.
The medians were installed as part of RTC's $87 million revitalization project. RTC spokeswoman Lauren Ball said they were added by design instead of a center turn lane.
"The medians do restrict turn movements and that's by design to improve safety," Ball said.
One of the other benefits that the medians provide is slower traffic speeds which also contributes to improved pedestrian safety.
Ball said opting for the median instead of a dedicated center turn lane also allowed for RTC to widen sidewalks, another aspect of the project that benefits pedestrians.
Transportation officials told News 4-Fox 11 they're currently working with a third party to conduct a study of traffic and pedestrian safety in midtown. The study is expected to be finished sometime in 2023, Ball said, after which the RTC could consider altering the infrastructure based on the results.
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve seemed sympathetic to business owners' concerns in the public comment section of last Wednesday's council meeting. She also referenced that the median could lengthen response times for first responders.
"I literally last week watched REMSA drive all the way down and all the way back and I can only imagine if someone is suffering an event, it causes angst," Schieve said.
Business owners hope that angst results in change.
"We (are) urging our city of Reno to please help us clear this out because look at right now — it's noon and look at all these empty seats," said Jesus Gutierrez Chuy, owner of Mari Chuy's Mexican Kitchen.
WATCH last week's city council meeting:
Email reporter Ben Margiott at bjmargiott@sbgtv.com. Follow @BenMargiott on Twitter and Ben Margiott KRNV on Facebook.