Earlier today I read the NA Confidential blog by Roger Baylor, in which he questions my comments in a News and Tribune article by Daniel Suddeath on the current state of downtown New Albany. Roger felt I had betrayed an unspoken allegiance to a walkable New Albany by not seizing on the opportunity Suddeath offered to bring out the incantation of street conversion in my remarks.
First off, my belief in the efficacy of two-way streets is not unspoken.This blog is not often read, which is completely understandable, since it is not often written. When I do write something here, I do so because, however much below the radar it may be, it is a public airing of my thoughts, and as such is part of a public record to any who may care to read it. I mention this only to point out that on several occasions here, I have spoken about my belief that two-way streets are better than one- way streets. I believe they create a better commercial environment for our, or any other, downtown area. I believe a walkable city is a better place for people to live, and is ultimately a better place for businesses to thrive.
When Daniel interviewed me, he referred back to some conversations he'd had earlier in the day, or week, with Dave Duggins, and some others. Because I do feel that a walkable New Albany would be a better environment for small and independent businesses, I thought of mentioning the conversion of one-way to two-way streets, since, as I said, I believe such a conversion brings us closer to that goal. Somehow or another, Daniel and I got on to another aspect of his question about what government can do to help stem the loss of businesses downtown, or to create a more fertile field in which to grow new businesses downtown.
I had been tuned to CNBC for much of the day, as the hosts of the shows on that network waxed orgasmic about the infusion of energy into the juggernaut of the marketplace brought on by Black Friday. Against the backdrop of that drumbeat of corporate/retail giantism, Daniel's questions about what can be done to breathe life into small town America, specifically our town, went to a less hopeful part of my brain than I usually inhabit.
I'm not one who cares about getting a deal on things; I continuously pay higher prices to buy from local vendors. Sometimes when I do, I can make myself believe that if we all do that, we can build a vibrant local economy in which independent businesses are able to swim against the rip tide of Amazon.com, WalMart, and the other mega gleaners in our economy.
And then, I think about how the middle class in New Albany, or, in Anytown U.S.A., has been hollowed out, sold out to foreign, near-slave labor producers, and how many of those former middle classers are now forced to live a low-wage existence where the only places they can buy things for their families is at WalMart, or other such stores. As they step down the rungs, the once-strong, independent businesses are deprived of customers and a means to stay in business.
Since Roger mentioned two-way streets as a life saver for small town businesses, I thought of a local book store, Destinations Booksellers. I think Destinations is a store of which any town, small or large, can be proud. Its proprietors, Ann and Randy Smith have done everything that can be done to make the store a bustling, successful addition to New Albany's commercial scene. I don't know their personal finances, but I think it's safe to say they would be happy with more customers. Destinations is located on one-way Spring Street.
When Daniel asked me if there's more government can do to promote local businesses, I answered "yes". I didn't say, "make the streets two-way." While I firmly believe one-way streets are obsolete auto-enablers, which make central cities less attractive places to live, I don't think they are the most significant thing standing in the way of a small-town urban renaissance. I don't think Randy Smith's customers will suddenly have to take a number so they can be waited on in a timely fashion after Spring Street becomes two-way. On the heels of Black Friday, which belongs now to the big box stores, comes Cyber Monday, which allows consumers, those who live for deals and convenience, the chance to shop in their bathrobes, or their birthday suits, all while getting a six or seven percent subsidy from the ether gods who charge no sales tax and offer free delivery.
As Cassius said, "the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves." That's what I was trying to say when Daniel asked me his questions.
I long for a day when local prosperity stands a chance against the market giants we've elevated to Midashood. I'm all for changing New Albany's streets to two-ways if it helps our businesses, or even if it just makes the city a little better place to live. But, I'm afraid we have much, much, harder work to do. That hard work involves re-creating an economy, and a society, which existed once, but has been displaced now by what corporations see as a standard business model, advertisers see as fish in a barrel, and what most Americans see as a way of life, almost a birthright.
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1 comment:
John,
Yes, the return of two way streets *could* help businesses, *could* help " walkability". It *could* do a lot of things.
However, we as a city, have already spent or are committing to spend more money on just studies than the conversion of several of the downtown streets, with no assurances that the investment would return tangible benefits to the area concerned.
Secondly, this conversion is being slated for a small area of this city. Many other areas need work done on infrastructure more desperately than converting traffic patterns in one small area when compared to the sum of the other areas that need sidewalks, intersection improvements, roads completely stripped and rebuilt.
Another point that's being brought up is it will slow traffic. I live on the two way section of spring in the 1900 block, traffic is just as fast, sometimes faster. There are just as many wrecks, just as many heavy commercial trucks, just as many problems as one way streets.
Another point, are we as a community ready to take action that will shift heavy commercial traffic, "pass thru traffic" and such to different areas because one area does not like it and there are more residents with more money and time to lobby? Look to main street for how that tends to work. Main was reconfigured, the heavy traffic just shifted, which spurred the lions share of the complaints.
Domino effect.
I honestly am neither for or against the conversion. It won't change my trips downtown one way or another, by car, on foot, or any businesses I visit there.
I think a good hard look needs to be given to making what we have smarter, more efficient. Better more efficient, less energy using lighting, better timing on the traffic lights to keep traffic moving, removal of some lights. Narrowing spring to a maximum of two "normal sized" lanes, adding a two way bike avenue on one side, offer incentives for heavy commercial businesses to not use the area as a thru way. Place smart parking meters to collect revenue (we already have a traffic department that can monitor those).
What works for other cities may not work here and vice versa.
But my main thing is, the community as a whole needs to be considered, and as stewards of taxpayer money, we need to invest where the most collective good can be served.
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