There are no plans to do any work along the Center Street corridor yet, and no city, state or federal money has been set aside. The first public hearing on the plan is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Auburn Hall community room, and the public’s reaction will become part of the overall study.

Key points

• Union Street Bypass: A reconfigured bypass would resemble a rotary, but one controlled by three traffic signals. Those traveling south along Center Street bound for downtown would be directed onto Union Street, around a relocated Benjamin Street and onto Turner Street. Traffic out of downtown heading north onto Center Street would change very little and southbound traffic headed for outer Auburn would continue along Union Street.

• Roundabouts: Plans call for building four roundabouts along Center Street, at North River Road, at Lake Auburn Avenue across from Goodwill, at Broadview Avenue and Alpha Street and at Stanley Street across from Shaw’s supermarket.

• Medians: Cars cutting across Center Street and left-hand turns against oncoming traffic would be blocked. A median would separate the northbound and southbound lanes beginning at Union Street and continuing north to Joline Street. Instead of left-hand turns, cars would use the roundabouts to change direction.

• Connected parking lots: Drivers should be able to go from business to business on either side of the street without getting back on Center Street. Most parking lots in question are privately owned and the city would have to work out agreements with the owners to build the connections.

• Mount Auburn Avenue: On- and off-ramps for the Mount Auburn Avenue flyover would become more curved, with drivers having to select a lane earlier. Those lanes would feed more smoothly into Center Street’s traffic pattern.

Phases

The study breaks the project into five phases over five years.

• Phase 1: Turner Street/Union Street Bypass work and lane enhancements at the Joline Street intersection.

• Phase 2: Build roundabout at North River Road/Center Street Plaza intersection.

• Phase 3: Build median dividing north from south lanes from Union Street bypass to North River Road roundabout.

• Phase 4: Lane improvements at Mount Auburn Avenue intersection and roundabout in front of Shaw’s, at Stanley Street.

• Phase 5: Two more roundabouts, at Lake Auburn Avenue and Broadview Avenue with medians dividing the north from the south lanes connecting them.