towards a decision
I will be part of a meeting with a few residents of the current SR32 this week and I am sure many good ideas will be presented there. However, my preliminary thoughts are very much in line with Bella's. I have my doubts about turning Main and Jackson into one-lane streets, but I would like to see as many cues as possible put into place that this is a street that runs through a NEIGHBORHOOD where children play. The signs stating such should definately be put into place.
Bike lanes and handicapped-accessible sidewalks should be in the minds of any responsible person in charge of a project such as this...especially with all the moms I see pushing strollers and all the residents of Gillespie towers living on 32 itself.
I love the look of bricked intersections (where the pedestrian lane is paved in brick across the road), but would like more information as to how long-lasting these are (with snowploughs running over them) and how easily they are navigated by those in wheelchairs, etc.
A mix of many kinds of pavement-friendly trees should be planted.
I am uncertain about whether power lines will also be affected by the changes, but if there is any way for that to take place, I know the sky on my side of main street (the side along the river) is polluted with power lines running in every direction and could use an up-grade.
One bumpout that would be beneficial is at the point where Main becomes a two-way street (just folowing the turn-off of 32 onto Kilgore). Cars begin to be parked along the right side of the street there. Currently this is marked by lines on the street, but a bumpout planted with perinnials would look much nicer and serve as a better warning to speeding vehicles.
Finally, I do not think Main could do with less parking. The streets are full of cars I identify as belonging to residents of the houses on Main. Many houses have driveways and parking spaces taking up their entire fronts yards at times, but that parking is not sufficient for the two, three, or four apartments of people living in each house.
There are my preliminary thoughts. I'm sure more will follow after further discussion.
~Lezlie
By lezlie