ary ▁hit ▁radio ▁stations ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States <0x0A> </s> ▁Franklin ▁Street ▁is ▁a ▁four - lane ▁street ▁in ▁Port land , ▁Maine . ▁It ▁began ▁as ▁Es sex ▁Street ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁but ▁changed ▁to ▁Franklin ▁Street ▁by ▁ 1 8 2 3 . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁cor rid or ▁for ▁traffic ▁from ▁Inter state ▁ 2 9 5 ▁to ▁Port land ' s ▁dow nt own , ▁and ▁to ▁other ▁neighborhood s ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁Port land ▁pen ins ula . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Franklin ▁Street ▁was ▁re construct ed ▁as ▁a ▁divided ▁ ▁ar ter ial ▁road way ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁after ▁the ▁demol ition ▁of ▁Port land ' s ▁Little ▁Italy , ▁B ays ide ▁and ▁other ▁neighborhood s . ▁Ren amed ▁Franklin ▁Street ▁Ar ter ial , ▁it ▁was ▁built ▁to ▁allow ▁greater ▁access ▁by ▁vehicles ▁to ▁Com mer cial ▁Street ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁dow nt own . ▁Unfortunately , ▁this ▁configuration ▁also ▁h inder ed ▁ped est rian ▁traffic — both ▁along ▁its ▁length ▁and ▁across ▁it — to ▁and ▁from ▁East ▁B ays ide , ▁the ▁Old ▁Port , ▁Mun jo y ▁Hill ▁and ▁other ▁neighborhood s ▁which ▁border ▁it . ▁Franklin ▁Tow ers , ▁at ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁C umber land ▁Avenue , ▁was ▁built ▁at ▁this ▁same ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁ 7 0 ▁people ▁gathered ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁impact s ▁and ▁potential