The Bus Just Rolled Over Concord Main Street Merchants

Ouch!

Those tire marks you see on our downtown merchants are from the bus that just rolled over them.

Last night, the downtown merchants were thrown under the bus so Gloria McPherson, the city planner, could have her 18 feet wide sidewalks.

Last night, the downtown retailers got thrown under the bus so the Complete Streets project can be transformational. It will be transformational alright. How about a downtown without retail? Is that transformational enough?

Last night the compete streets committee talked about aspirational goals for the downtown. Here’s a wish, I wish want a wish: I hope this project doesn’t drive retailers out of business.

Here’s the absolute bottom line: If and when this project is completed, if we don’t have an economically vibrant downtown that is attracting new businesses, customers and residents to the city’s core, we all lose. None more then the businesses that couldn’t survive, but as a city we’re losers.

The Re-Thinking Main Street report was promoted as a discussion of ideas. What do you like? What would you change? Why do you come downtown and what would continue to attract you to Main Street? Where does Main Street need improvements and how would you make those improvements?

When the  Re-Thinking Main Street report was accepted by the Concord City Council, it was made clear to all those attending and watching the meeting that it was only the report that was being accepted. It was not accepted as the outline for a future Main Street project. It was not accepted as the basis for the Complete Streets grant. And It was accepted by the city council without any public comment.

The Complete Streets grant is not a discussion. It is funding for a plan. It is a construction project. It is funding that must be used now. And it is funding for a project that the city knew they were going to apply for many months ago.

So, where was the public input before the grant was applied for? Not once - but twice - this grant was submitted and neither time was the public or those who would be most affected by this project asked for their opinions. 

At the eleventh hour, our mayor tells us that the project will be going forward but that there will be discussion on all aspects of the grant with the exception that any loss of parking is off the table. The mayor stated unequivocally that there will be no loss of parking. 

Here’s what a June 25, 2012, Concord Monitor Editorial titled, "Granted, Main St. Could use a Lift," had to say regarding the Mayor’s comments on parking:

“The task force will use the streetscape improvement plan, along with its controversial three-lane design for a portion of Main Street, as its starting point. Nothing, save for Bouley's promise that no plan will be adopted that results in a net loss of downtown parking spaces, is set in stone.”

If the mayor thinks he can mitigate the loss of parking on North Main Street by reintroducing the parking spaces on the south end of Storrs Street, I can assure him there isn’t anyone lining up to buy that bridge. And if the mayor thinks he gave himself an out by qualifying his statement, the only person he’s deceiving is himself.

So what does the Complete Streets committee recommend? They recommend to the city council that parallel parking is acceptable on Main Street if no more then the loss of spaces needed for compliance plus five additional spaces are lost. Best guesstimate for loss of parking is 21 spaces. 

How do we go from "no parking loss is open for discussion," to it’s OK to lose 21? No wonder the mayor’s face was red when they were talking about parking last night.

The Complete Streets committee has stated on numerous occasions during their deliberations that the city has a track record of not always getting it right. The committee has asked the city council to allow them to continue to make recommendations as the project moves forward, because they don’t want to leave the final decisions in the hands of engineers and planners.  

And yet this committee - fearful of leaving the project in the hands of a few city employees - has forged ahead with recommendations that fly in the face of the reality our downtown merchants deal with everyday.

And the one component of this project that truly can be transformative - heated streets - is a footnote. This on an element that the committee states would have a significant positive impact on the downtown. This on an element they all appear to agree on. So where’s their voice?

It may not be all about parking, but take away parking and there isn’t going to be much happening on Main Street. If those who are already shopping in our downtown perceive parking to be difficult now, what are they going to think when there are less spaces on North Main Street and some of those angled spaces have been replaced by parallel parking. 

Ed Roberge, the city engineer, told the committee to trust him. I think there was a president we elected a few years back that said trust but verify. I trust Ed and his staff to do a great job based on what they think is best. 

But we have a city council and we have the committee and we have public input, so that engineering and planning and all the other city departments can follow our lead. Their expertise is needed to assure the success of this project, but it is the city of Concord, you and me, who who should be telling them what we want. It is their job to figure out how to make what we want work.

This is just too important a project to rush. Some would tell you that the city has been thinking and working towards this project since 2006. But the project only became a reality a few short months ago. And there is a huge difference between soliciting the communities opinions and getting consensus on the nuts and bolts of a project. 

And even assuming we all agree on the direction this project should take, we still don’t know if it will be successful. We need time to test drive this project. We need time to hear feedback from those who shop and own stores downtown. We need time to have the community tell the administration and city council this is what they want and not the other way around. This is a project where the dog should be wagging its tail.

The condensed timeline will lead to missed opportunities and mistakes. Should we stop this project? If the city council and city staff can’t find (or is unwilling to) a way to introduce elements of this project to the community before they become permanent and listen to what we have to say, then I say send the money back. 

The Complete Streets committee’s final recommendations should be posted on the city’s website on Monday. http://www.ci.concord.nh.us/cdadmin/MainStreetProject/concordv2.asp?siteindx=C50,96

The city council will be holding a hearing to approve the Complete Streets grant project on Monday, Nov. 26. The agenda for that meeting (with background information) should be posted on the city’s website by the close of business on Thursday, Nov. 22.

http://www.ci.concord.nh.us/citycouncil/AgendaMinuteSelection/concordv2.asp?siteindx=C60,06

Here are Allan's previous posts about the committee: 

A Message for the Complete Streets Committee

Interesting Developments at Main Street Meeting

Who’s Driving Who Down Main Street?

Are You Really Sure You Know What’s Planned For Main Street?

Three Lanes Means Less Parking on Main Street

Gorillas in the Room

Downtown Concord Improvement Committee Meets for the First Time

TIGER Grant Funds for Traffic Signals: Are You Kidding Me?

The Concord Monitor Just Doesn't Get It

Main Street Project: A Done Deal

It's Back: Three Lanes for Main Street