WARREN — City council’s traffic and safety committee met Monday to discuss the future of Dana Street — which has been closed for seven years as part of the Golden Triangle redevelopment project — following a tour of Christopher Alan’s AUTOParkit facility, where he expressed a desire to keep the street permanently closed.

Committee chairperson Tiffany Stanford, D-5th Ward, along with council members Greg Greathouse, D-3rd Ward, Todd Johnson, I-1st Ward, Ron White, D-7th Ward, Honeya Price, D-6th Ward, Michael O’Brien, D-at Large, Law Director Enzo Cantalmesa and others discussed the upcoming Wednesday vote on extending the street’s temporary closure for another 90 days.

Stanford wondered if council discussions were appropriate surrounding the recurring 90-day extensions, as she took into account Alan’s newly expressed preference for a permanent closure.

“Us voting every 90 days to close the road — that’s the wrong conversation,” she said, noting she would like to see a long-term solution.

During a meeting with city council last week, Alan, whose company has revitalized the former industrial site, credited the closure with reducing vandalism and drug activity. He suggested the street could remain accessible for emergency vehicles but saw no need to reopen it to traffic. However, council members expressed divergent views on the proposal.

Councilman Andrew Herman, D-2nd Ward, a resident of the area, supported reopening Dana Street, observing that over the past three-and-a-half years, he had seen little evidence of the heavy equipment traffic Alan cited as a reason for the closure.

“I’ve talked to neighbors, and they’ve seen no large pieces of equipment crossing the street,” Herman said, questioning whether the project’s current status justifies keeping the road closed.

He expressed enthusiasm for Alan’s economic contributions, noting the potential for job creation, but argued the closure might no longer be necessary given the reduced safety concerns.

O’Brien echoed the need for more information, urging Alan to provide a detailed timeline for completing the project. While acknowledging the “enormous investment” evident during the facility tour, O’Brien stressed the importance of transparency.

“We need a real clear picture of his timeline,” he said, noting that construction delays, partly due to COVID-19, had slowed progress. O’Brien also raised concerns about the zoning of nearby Bank Street, classified as manufacturing, and proposed legislation requiring realtors to disclose zoning details to homebuyers to avoid future conflicts in mixed-use areas.

Johnson argued for reopening the street until a “justified reason” is offered to keep it closed, also saying that the public deserves to see Alan’s development.

“It’s a disservice to him and the city that people can’t drive through and see the progress,” he said, adding that traffic would likely remain low and that Alan had not formally requested a permanent closure.

Cantalmesa cautioned that permanently closing the street would involve vacating it, a legal process requiring consensus from nearby businesses and residents. He noted that when the street was first closed, all affected businesses agreed, and no significant issues have arisen since. However, he highlighted potential challenges, including future maintenance costs and impacts on residential and commercial areas near Dana Street. Cantalmesa also suggested exploring alternatives to permanent vacating, such as conditional closures, to retain flexibility if circumstances change.

Michael Keys, Community Development director, provided context on the closure’s origins, explaining it stemmed from a broader plan to streamline truck routes in the Golden Triangle and reduce infrastructure maintenance costs. He noted that the city had conducted surveys to assess the need for multiple streets in the area, concluding that Dana Street’s closure could benefit traffic flow and business operations without significant disruption.

Council will vote Wednesday on the 90-day extension while Cantalmesa prepares options for a permanent solution to be discussed in the coming months.