Why Does Lubbock Have So Many One-Way Streets Downtown?

Ever driven the wrong direction in downtown Lubbock?

If you said "yes", congrats. You're one of us.

Lubbock's downtown street grid can feel as if it were designed by someone who wanted you to make an extra lap around the block just for fun. Most of us have been mixed up down there a time or two. I actually made the mistake of driving the wrong way during my driving exam. Oops. Had to take it again...

So, why are there so many one-way streets in downtown Lubbock?

The short answer?

Traffic management.

Downtown LBK states that downtown Lubbock was built on a traditional grid system with rather small 300-by-300-foot blocks and wide streets. As the years have gone by, some of the streets were converted to one-way, more than likely simply to help keep traffic moving in the area.

They didn't just wake up one morning and decide to make things more confusing for us, and that makes me feel at least a little bit better.

Read More: Who Owns the Fence Between Two Lubbock Houses?

The Interesting Part

Everything Lubbock reported that downtown has been moving away from one-way streets in recent years. Several downtown streets have been converted to two-way traffic.

And honestly, that's fair.

Nothing says "Welcome to downtown!" like realizing you're heading into oncoming traffic.

So, keep your eyes peeled for those pesky one-ways, but don't lose hope. They may eventually become obsolete. Who knows. If I had it my way, we'd get rid of them all. I still panic every time I see a one-way sign...