“This project will shut down east town and make it a ghost town.”
Building owner Shawna Bouwkamp says the choice is between businesses and bicycles.
“What is really essential here? Keeping the businesses open or making a few bikers happy.”
When the city replaces water mains and makes other improvements on Wealthy Street next year, the latest plan eliminates parking spaces between Fuller Avenue and Lake Drive and adds a raised bike lane.
“This is a complete disaster.”
Building owner Mark Owings says Wealthy Street businesses need the on-street parking.
“We rely on street parking to function.”
But Andrew Carley says the raised bike lane will make cycling safer.
“Building this protected infrastructure is a step in the right direction.”
And looking at data from other cities, Laura Cessa says removing parking to install a bike lane is not necessarily bad for business.
“On the contrary. Cyclists love spending money at local businesses.”
The city commission has not yet reviewed the Wealthy Street plans. After more than a dozen public comments on the possible design at their meeting this week, city manager Mark Washington said:
“This conversation is going to happen over and over and over. If our vision for our city is to become a bikeable community, you have to make some tough choices.”
