In an attempt to deal with bluff erosion, Town of Coupeville officials are looking at possibly turning part of Front Street into a one-way road as a way to deal with bluff erosion issues.

Mayor Nancy Conard said she is waiting for additional reports from surveyors before bringing a recommendation to council.

She said she anticipates that happening early next year.

Officials started looking at options after part of the bluff gave way earlier this year, causing part of the pedestrian walkway to crack and be taped off from foot traffic.

The area in question is a residential area, between Main Street and Gould Street, and the road sees minor traffic, Conard said.

Part of her inquiry has been to visit with residents who live along the road and get their opinion.

Conard said she still has a couple more residents to talk to, but so far everyone she’s talked to has been supportive of the idea.

Town council has budgeted a little more than $26,000 for the project, which covers the cost of professional services — engineers and surveyors — and material costs.

The project would consist of creating the one-way road, moving the pedestrian walkway farther in and repairing the area where the slide occurred.

Conard said the town will be able to utilize current employees to complete the project. The plan doesn’t include immediately dealing with future erosion issues.

“We’d deal with future erosion as it happens,” she said. The studies conducted on the issue show the erosion problem isn’t fast-moving.

The plan, she said, is an easy one and one of the less expensive options.

Repairing and reinforcing the bluff to maintain that two-way road would be much more costly, Conard said. A plan should be brought to council as early as January 2014.