The Bookseller takes us back to January 16, when Jeff Speck appeared at the library and dealt a crippling blow to our previously unquestioned assumptions about New Albany's maladjusted-by-design street grid (and a video was made of it).
… Perhaps, the End of the Beginning, at The NewAlbanist
... On that cold and snowy midwinter Thursday, armed with visuals specific to our city, Speck surgically excised years of accretions and cancers that have prevented a comprehensive review of our harmful one-way street grid. As he wielded his knife, a number of us were astonished to see those most (ir)responsible for the current condition of our street grid sit calmly as their most cherished shibboleths were demolished.
That is, the mayor, some council members, and the full administration sat there placidly while being told that everything they had held dear was wrong. That their timidity was holding our city back and actively damaging the small businesses that make downtown their home.
Fortunately for us, making New Albany a walkable city won’t cost us much of anything, financially. If the city will take Speck’s advice, we may, perhaps, be able to say that this is the end of the beginning.
Much more than economic development is at stake. Public safety and the quiet enjoyment of our properties, residential and commercial, stand to benefit greatly.
Meanwhile, councilman John Gonder, a fervent and perennial advocate for the sensible, expresses support for yesterday's turn of events, but also looks in the general direction of the 800-lb gorilla.
Pitch Till You Win, at Gonder for New Albany At-Large
... I am most heartily on board with this turn of events, since at least we know where this study is likely to lead us. Which of course begs another question, but who's asking? And, why stand in the way of something positive?
Perhaps John was anticipating a comment like this one, as mentioned in Part One of today's ruminations:
Duggins said the city would not implement any recommendations that would reduce traffic capacity.
I feel sick already. You can bet the farm that when David said this to Grace, John Rosenbarger's mouth wasn't moving.
Part One, today
Part Three, today
Obviously, no coordination (or shared plan) regarding traffic flow through town. When I hear "no reduction in traffic flow" - weren't we told that was exactly the reason for the little concrete bump outs on State Street?
ReplyDeleteDidn't we hear the bump outs on State were meant to slow and ultimately reduce traffic flow on a major thoroughfare?