Council votes to make street one-way
By CLYDE FORD
Staff Writer, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Charles Town Council members voted Monday night to make North Street one-way in an effort to fight drug trafficking in the neighborhood.
Neighborhood residents said they've been plagued by an open-air drug market in the neighborhood, a problem highlighted when a 65-year-old great-grandmother's house on the corner of North and Hessy streets was shot up as she slept.
Monday night's meeting was held at the Charles Town Junior High School library as renovation work continues on City Hall.
Charles Town officials said they believed making the street one-way will help the neighborhood.
They believe most of the customers for the drug traffickers are from out-of-town.
"They'll have to drive through the downtown now instead of taking the back way in," Aldridge said.
Traffic will now be one-way from west to east from the city line to Mildred Street. Town officials also will talk to Charles Town Races officials to see about putting up a barrier where the street meets the back of a race parking lot.
Town officials were worried about how they will meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act when the town offices are moved from City Hall to a temporary location across the street during a renovation project.
