tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post728525705518259681..comments2024-03-27T22:52:12.619-04:00Comments on The Gossips of Rivertown: Worries About Warren StreetCarole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-52320606761666332652022-04-11T11:31:07.604-04:002022-04-11T11:31:07.604-04:00John Friedman submitted this comment:
If we'v...John Friedman submitted this comment:<br /><br />If we've learned anything over the past 2 years, it is likely that while the partial street closure was a boon in the immediate wake of the first lock-downs in 2020, they were less well-received in 2021. And while the bars and restaurants may well have been saved at least in part by both local and state political leaders' efforts to expand both on- and off-premises alcohol consumption as well as the usage of public spaces, the calculus has changed as our public health habits have adapted to COVID. The need is simply no longer there and this is amply illustrated by the sales tax figures over the past 2 years in this sector of the economy. As for the use of parking spaces by other businesses as done last year, that program showed how useless this ceding of public space is for retail businesses.<br /><br /> <br /><br />What the vast majority of negative comments seem to me to have focused on boils down to the fact that a "hybrid" approach -- whether it's partial street closures or closures only on particular days of the week -- creates confusion and angst. I think this is particularly true for visitors. I know it's popular in some circles to bad-mouth or bemoan these visitors -- I regularly hear it from folks sitting next to me at bars and in restaurants all over Hudson -- but if nothing else these critiques of the partial street closures point to the need for consistency in the design and application of public policy alongside effective and ample communication about them.Carole Osterinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-38749727676491187452022-04-11T06:42:05.404-04:002022-04-11T06:42:05.404-04:00The streetspace survey from March 2021 by the prev...The streetspace survey from March 2021 by the previous iteration of the Tourism Board is here:<br /><br />https://www.dropbox.com/s/gn80znafwgsytwl/TourismBoard.StreetspaceSurveyResults.3.20.21.pdf?dl=0<br /><br />Of particular interest is Question 4:<br /><br />On weekends, would you like to see Warren Street open to pedestrian only traffic (except for emergency vehicles, pickup/delivers and residents)?<br /><br />Of the 77 business owners<br />49% said every weekend<br />11% said 1 weekend a month<br />6% said 2 weekends a season<br />32% said never<br /><br />Of the 242 Residents who completed the survey<br />45% said every weekend<br />10% said 1 weekend a month<br />4% said 2 weekends a season<br />39% said neverPETER SPEARhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04377970654469835056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-57349551674979327582022-04-10T21:39:45.485-04:002022-04-10T21:39:45.485-04:00The less cars the better. The less cars the better. P. Winslowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08273783030122540297noreply@blogger.com