Keeping downtown stuck in neutral

It's no secret that I oppose the roundabout being proposed for downtown Glens Falls. No secret at all.

My main objection is that it will make downtown even more hostile to pedestrians. Pedestrians, as I've mentioned countless times, is a synonym for CONSUMERS. I've contended in previous essays that the roundabout's effect on pedestrians was never even factored into the equation. Some have argued that because roundabout would reduce the speed limit from 40 mph to 15 mph, then it would become paradise for walkers trying to cross the street. However, this ignores the simple fact that the purpose of the roundabout is so that traffic never has to stop and you can't cross the street if traffic never stops!

A letter in yesterday's Post-Star perfectly demonstrates this mentality.

The city's new mayor Le Roy Akins has called for the roundabout to be tried on a temporary basis. He expressed concern as to how a permanent roundabout would affect people going to and from the nearby Civic Center arena. The mere fact that he's taking these pedestrians/consumers into account is a hopeful sign and an improvement on the roundabout's most ardent supporters.

While a temporary roundabout is preferable to wasting $3 million of city money on a permanent one, I've pointed out that this does nothing to resolve downtown's fundamental unfriendliness to pedestrians.

However, a letter written by Chris Harrington takes the opposite approach. Harrington criticizes Akins for the proposal arguing that a temporary roundabout wouldn't sufficiently replicate the attributes of a permanent roundabout.

Harrington writes: We should be concerned, however, that we are making the Civic Center a priority, when the immediate concern is to make travel into and through Glens Falls easier.

This perfectly demonstrates the exact opposite mentality that is needed to improve downtown.

The premise of Harrington's comment is that the automobile should be given priority over pedestrians/consumers. The immediate concern SHOULD NOT BE making it easier to get through Glens Falls without stopping. The immediate concern should be to facilitate movement for those who DO stop in Glens Falls to peruse its shops or eat in its restaurants and watch events in its arena. The Civic Center is one of the largest generators of sales tax in the city. Why should its patrons be given short shrift just so people can cut a minute or two off their travel from Hudson Falls to the Northway?

People who watch hockey games at the Civic Center should be given priority. People who eat at Gourmet Cafe or Rock Hill Bakehouse should be given priority. People who get dinner and a movie at a Aimie's should be given priority. People who want to speed past our shops and restaurants without stopping should NOT be given priority over people who want to spend their hard earned money in the city.

That some city leaders and residents want non-patrons to be treated better than patrons is the most maddening and absurd aspect of this whole debate.

Only when people realize that pedestrians/consumers must be given priority over automobiles will downtown truly be on its way toward revitalization.