Van Deren Road, in Uptown, may soon service only cars headed north.

Sedona city staff presented a proposal to approximately 20 Uptown residents Thursday, July 26, calling for different traffic patterns in Uptown.

Van Deren Road, in Uptown, may soon service only cars headed north.

Sedona city staff presented a proposal to approximately 20 Uptown residents Thursday, July 26, calling for different traffic patterns in Uptown.

City Engineer Charles Mosley said at the meeting the current plan is to change only Van Deren Road from Forest Road to Mesquite Avenue — segment one — to a north-bound one-way road. City staff would later determine if other streets need restrictions — segments two, three and four — to off-set the impact on Van Deren Road.

“The implementation of these segments would be based on the impact of segment one,” Mosley said.

Segment two is Van Deren Road from Mesquite Avenue to Apple Avenue; segment three is Wilson Road from Forest Road to Mesquite Avenue; and segment four is Wilson Road from Mesquite Avenue to Apple Avenue.

Staggered parking would also be implemented, reducing the number of parking spaces.

Parking on Van Deren Road in segment one would be reduced to 15 spaces rather than 21.

Mosley said changes come in response to Sedona Fire District needs to access buildings along narrow streets in Uptown. Van Deren Road and Wilson Road vary between 24 and 26 feet from Forest Road to Apple Avenue. All traffic on Van Deren Road would be directed north and all traffic on Wilson Road would be directed south.

“The fire code dictates that all structures must have an emergency access road,” SFD Fire Marshal Will Loesche said. Who provides access is the question. City, state and county staff normally adhere to SFD fire codes.

According to Loesche, SFD isn’t demanding the city implement one-way streets in Uptown but they would make it easier for fire apparatus to get down the road.

Loesche said the city has two options for making SFD’s job easier: two-way streets with no parking, or one-way streets with parking on one side.

Fire codes require a minimum of 20 feet for fire engines to operate on two-way streets. On a one-way street, an engine company can operate in 16 feet.

Less area is needed on a one-way street because crews don’t have to worry about traffic in an oncoming lane.

Operating space allows for crews to get ladders off trucks, unroll hoses and open storage bins on the sides of the trucks.

Residents at Thursday’s meeting all agreed they want the backroads of Uptown to be more pedestrian-friendly. Most thought one-way traffic was a good idea while some worried it would invite more traffic into residential areas.

Mosley could not be reached following the meeting for comment about when segment one could be implemented.