One-way pattern downtown can be confusing

Apparently, when you’re driving in downtown Fort Worth, you’re supposed to know by intuition where the one-way streets are.

But downtown leaders and city officials have re-examined that approach, because 12 wrong-way accidents in the past year show it’s not working out so well.

They’re going to put up more “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” warning signs.

The one-way street pattern through the downtown core is fairly consistent — except when it’s not.

Main Street, which runs north-south between the Tarrant County Courthouse and the Fort Worth Convention Center, is two-way — except where it’s blocked off for Sundance Square Plaza between Third Street and Fourth Street.

On either side of Main Street, Houston Street is one-way southbound, but Commerce Street is two-way. OK, so it’s asymmetrical.

Symmetry prevails another block out. Throckmorton Street is one-way northbound and Calhoun Street is one-way southbound.

Another block to the west, Taylor Street enters downtown one-way northbound, but after Sixth Street it’s two-way — except for the block between Sixth and Fifth streets, where the southbound lane is blocked for construction.

The numbered streets run east-west, and they alternate one-way directions — except around Sundance Square, where some are two-way.

Signs are a good idea.

This story was originally published December 13, 2016 at 5:26 PM with the headline "One-way pattern downtown can be confusing."