Posted: Friday, July 27, 2012 8:49 am
Olean Times Herald
Sunday’s Olean Times Herald included a front-page article on the city administration’s desire to improve North Union Street, and asking the public’s input.
In October 2010, I wrote a Readers’ Turn to Write column concerning my ideas for North Union. I refer to those ideas again as a basis of consideration for other viewpoints regarding this very important project for our city.
Most importantly, we need to convert North Union Street from a street into a boulevard — someplace pleasant where people will want to shop, dine or just stroll.
To that end, we should:
® Remove all parking meters from North Union and those areas of West State Street not absolutely essential to merchants there. This proposal is admittedly controversial, but consider: Ellicottville entertains 20,000 people on a weekend — and not a meter in sight in the entire village.
The “welcoming” gesture to out-of-towners means a lot as far as our image as a friendly city is concerned. Many areas of North Union (and some on West State) where meters are in place are almost always devoid of parked cars. How many cars do we see parked on the lower end of North Union?
The meters are unsightly and, considering the cost of the meters, their repair and upkeep and the salary of those involved in collecting the money from them, there is not much left to justify them.
North Union Street merchants can and should provide off-street parking for their employees so they do not take up valuable customer parking space.
® Remove the existing light poles and replace them either with Colonial- or Victorian-style poles and lights. The current poles and lights do nothing to enhance the visual ambiance of the street.
® Remove on both sides of the street the “eyebrows” on North Union and the small sidewalk block next to the curb. Construct a new curb of granite next to the remaining two blocks. This does two things: It will make the street wider and, more importantly, it will constrict the sidewalk, which will produce a more dynamic and energetic flow to the people who use it.
I have had two occasions to observe this phenomenon while visiting larger cities and communities that have smaller walks and yet accommodate thousands of people (in one case 5,000 per hour).
® To create and enhance the “boulevard” effect, put raised median islands down the center of North Union. To quote an article concerning this: “Raised medians provide pedestrian refuge, reduce the scale of the street and with added landscaping make the public space more beautiful. (They) also channelize left-turn lanes and create a unique visual identity to the corridor. Raised medians help reduce conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles by allowing pedestrians to cross only one direction of traffic at a time.”
There are many other advantages to doing this but are too numerous to write here.
There are other considerations that need to be addressed if we do this (snow removal being one), but no negative ones that couldn’t be overcome.
And to that end, we should employ a firm that specializes in “streetscape design.” It would be well worth it if we are serious about revitalizing our main business district. There are outstanding national firms that do this and it would be worth the cost.
There are funds out there available for “main street” projects. We may have to bear some of the costs but isn’t it worth it?
(Mr. Eade lives in Olean.)
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Friday, July 27, 2012 8:49 am.
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