Not a Genuine Promenade

Open letter to the Mayor and City Council:

The news that the Natural Cafe downtown is closing its doors is no surprise. It’s high time the City Council came to terms with the mess on downtown State Street.

Between the unsightliness of the various kinds of parklets taking up the roadway and the bicyclists and skateboarders that create a dangerous situation for pedestrians, something has got to be done to return State Street to the pleasant inviting place it used to be. People would like to be able to shop, stroll, cross the road safely, eat indoors, use the shuttle, and avoid confrontations with the homeless.

Let’s face it: this is not a genuine promenade. If you have been to Europe or the U.K. you will have seen proper pedestrian-only precincts where bicyclists walk their bikes and families with small children and the elderly can safely walk.

Please start over again and give us back our downtown!