Median's removal would benefit downtown

Median's removal would benefit downtown

Dear editor, Re: Downtown median. My recollection of the primary reason for the town's consultant wishing to eliminate the median is that it widens walkways to invite more people activities-- unique shopping in and out of doors, 7/11 events and vibrant social gatherings to fill the downtown with healthy life during most hours of the day and year. These improvements also enhance the downtown's unique architectural character, eliminate a barrier to buggies/wheelchairs/bikes, trims time crossing the narrower road, reduces after-hours vandalism and slows down automobiles, thus encouraging through-traffic to seek more efficient routes. Contrary to intuition, the median increases the speed of automobiles by requiring a driver to watch for traffic on their right side only. More vehicles at higher speeds decrease pedestrian activity. While the councillors' decision to keep a median based on weight of opinion might seem a regressive step to some, it is also my understanding that the lease rates of shops along Main Street have been trending toward doubling in very recent years, causing shops to move out and services (eg. storefront law offices) to move in. If so, a lost opportunity to vitalize downtown may be a dead issue. Tom Bentley, Georgetown