Officials with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) have met with town representatives to change the town's primary highway to protect pedestrians but still preserve Tombstone's historic integrity.

Tombstone Marshal Larry Talvy and Councilman Steve Troncale are part of the committee tasked with enhancing Fremont Street.

The collaboration between the group and ADOT has been instrumental in encouraging such improvements as changing parking on Fremont.

"With the cooperation of ADOT, we have seen things get done that we haven't seen in years," said Talvy, who refers to the Tombstone group as the Enhancement Project Committee.

The recent changes removed parking on Fremont Street, between Third and Sixth streets. Visitors are expected to utilize parking spaces on side streets and lots instead.

As part of their collaboration, ADOT is putting $1 million toward improving the project, which Mayor Dusty Escapule says will enhance the safety and historic standing of Fremont Street.

"We are on the watch list [for True West Magazine] and this enhancement project will help us with our historic status," said Talvy.

The project will include the installation of 1800s-style lights along Fremont Street, along with overhangs attached to the businesses to make them look more historically authentic, said Talvy.

The committee is an important element to ensure that the proposed changes will be in sync with historic requirements, said Linda Ritter, an ADOT spokeswoman.

An added benefit of removing parked cars from the area will be that drivers will no longer need to worry about seeing beyond parked cars when searching for pedestrians while trying to turn.

The speed limit along Fremont, also known as Highway 80, was reduced from 35 to 30 mph.

Toughnut Street resident Heidi Doherty said she is happy with the speed limit reduction, but wishes she had been warned of the change in advance.

"I wish we had known ... many of my friends have been stopped," she said.

The four-year project will eventually extend the sidewalks along Fremont Street so that pedestrians will have more room to walk and not be in danger from highway traffic.

Shirley Dejourett, an owner of the Good Enough Mine, thinks the removal of Fremont Street parking is "fantastic."

"I cross at least 10 times a day," she said. "It is a nightmare when all the RVs and cars park [along Fremont Street] and you have to stop and look 10 times before you can cross.

"I have seen so many people almost get hit."

A safety study was conducted by ADOT in light of last year's accident on Fremont Street where a visiting couple was struck and killed. In the study, ADOT determined that there was no need for a crosswalk, as the intersection did not meet the ADOT requirements, Ritter said.

"Sometimes [crosswalks] are a false sense of security," she said.

Talvy feels confident that the removal of street parking will be more than sufficient in preventing fatalities.

To reduce numbers of people trying to cross Fremont, city officials are not steering visitors to parking lots near Toughnut Street on the southside of town.
Some city officials believe this will give businesses in that area additional exposure to tourists.

Traffic will permanently be diverted to the two lots on Toughnut Street; one is on the corner of Toughnut Street and Third Street, and the second is on Toughnut Street and Sixth Street.

"We want visitors to see the courthouse, clothing stores, Rose Tree Museum, Good Enough Mine," as well as the other historic areas on Toughnut Street, Talvy said.

There are still parking lots on Fremont Street and motels that will continue to attract visitors to the businesses in that area.

Even with the benefits of the current plans, Talvy is still concerned about whether or not the street is prepared to handle additional vehicles. One worry, that increased traffic could exceed street weight limits, will cause the city to require semi-trucks and large RVs to park on the lower levels of Third and Sixth streets.