APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) - Appleton city officials said they're pleased with how their College Avenue lane reconfiguration pilot project is going. Earlier this week at the municipal services committee meeting, city officials provided a progress report on the project. The pilot project began two summers ago and will run through February. The project impacts College Avenue between Richmond Street/Memorial Drive and Drew Street. On this stretch, officials reduced the number of lanes from four to three (one in each direction and then a turn lane at intersections) and also added bike lanes on both sides of the road. The city's public works director Laura Jungwirth said that they've received a lot of positive feedback about the project. Officials said between Aug. 2023 and July 2024 they've seen a 29 percent reduction in crashes in the impacted corridor. They've seen a significant increase in bicycle traffic (33 percent), while the number of cars that have traveled this corridor remained just about the same (fell by one percent). Jungwirth said in both directions travel time for commuters along the impacted corridor is similar to what it was before the project. Salvation Army kicks off annual Christmas campaign in Green Bay Jordan Geiger said he spends a lot of time in downtown Appleton. He said when he first heard about the changes, he was skeptical but said he's been pleasantly surprised. "It's decently paced, not as many reckless drivers out there, it's really done a good thing for the downtown area," he told Local 5 News. Several downtown business owners are less enthusiastic about the changes. "Foot traffic is definitely down this year since that happened and that's disappointing," said Kara Manuel the owner of Lillian's of Appleton a small business located on the impacted stretch of College Avenue. "I don't know if it's because of the road, but I do feel like people have some concerns (about driving in the downtown)." She said she's hopeful that things will improve and that people will become more comfortable with the changes. Right now, she says people tell her they don't come to downtown Appleton because they don't want to deal with parking and the new traffic flow. "This year as a whole has been a difficult year and I think that just added to it," she said. Manuel said her store has been on College Avenue for about nine years and she's always loved this location. A few storefronts over at the DePawsitory, owner Laurie Koestner is blunt with her assessment of the lane reconfiguration project on College Avenue. Her business has been on College Avenue for nearly a decade. Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation "It's been a disaster for a lot of us business owners down here," she said. "I've permanently lost customers because of the lane changes, I have people who won't come down here." She said she's seen about a 15 percent decline in customers since the project began and that she is seriously considering moving the location of her store. According to the city's progress report, they've seen about a 11 percent reduction in pedestrian traffic on College Avenue since two summers ago. Officials note that this is based on one count made over a 24-hour period and they have "low confidence" in it. Koestner said she wished the city engaged business owners more actively before making these changes. She said when she voiced concerns after the project began she felt like city officials didn't listen to her. The pilot project for the lane reconfiguration project concludes in February. The municipal services committee will vote whether to continue with these changes. If they vote yes, then it would go to a vote from the full common council. Jungwirth said the lane reconfiguration project won't impact the parking situation on College Avenue. Some people have expressed concerns about the safety of the new biking lanes because they're between moving traffic and parking spots on each side of the road. Three of the four people Local 5 News spoke with on Thursday said the project has reduced the number of loud vehicles on College Avenue which was another goal of the project.