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Joyce Coomer: Downtown comments By Joyce Coomer Personal Commentary Oppressive heat in Summer -- Always has been, always will be in commercial areas . . . one of the byproducts of concrete and asphalt covering the earth. No shade -- Never has been much that I can recall except what the buildings provide during the day. No green space - Where are you going to put it? No breeze -- At times, when inside our shop, I can hear the flags in front of the courthouse annex snapping in the wind. When the wind isn't that stout, I usually notice a breeze when walking to the bank. Right now, the limbs on the elm tree by our porch are dancing merrily in a breeze. Keep in mind that buildings of any sort and any size block the flow of breezes. No shelter from the rain and other inclement weather conditions -- Another thing that I don't recall ever being there other than awnings on businesses. Excessive traffic -- That is an ebb and flow situation -- sometimes nearly bumper to bumper, other times, maybe one car traveling around the square. Uncontrolled traffic flow around Courthouse -- This eludes me . . . best I can tell the traffic is controlled. Traffic not stopping for pedestrians -- I don't see this problem when walking. What I do see when driving is pedestrians not deigning to even acknowledge there is anything on the square besides themselves -- they step out into the street without looking right or left, nor do they even look up. Traffic not stopping at crosswalks -- The last few times I've crossed the square, some drivers have stopped at least 30' away from the crosswalks. Vehicles blocking crosswalks -- Something that has always been done and, as far as I'm concerned, no big deal. I simply wait until they move on before crossing the street. Excessive speed limit immediately approaching Downtown -- What is the speed limit? I haven't noticed any signs. Excessive speed limit around the Courthouse -- Same thing -- What is the speed limit? Excessive noise -- Another ebb and flow situation -- sometimes nearly quiet as a tomb, other times, with several vehicles present at the same time, there is noise. Last time I checked there is ONE lane of traffic around the courthouse -- the lane is simply wide enough for tractor-trailers to get around without running into something. Why would 2 p.m. be the optimum time for elected officials to be on the square? Who wants to take the bypass between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. when school is letting out? I'm sure there's enough traffic there at that time without adding any. Who would pay for these sheltered sidewalks with fans? I, for one, have no wish for higher taxes. As for pedestrian-supported downtown retail businesses . . . the space for retail business has shrunk considerably, what with the banks, law offices, real estate agencies and insurance companies now on the square. Should they be asked to move? No. These businesses appear to be thriving as they are consistently open, and I see people entering and leaving these establishments on a regular basis. I also see people entering and leaving the retail businesses on the square on a regular basis. What should've been done is that all these people who are currently mourning the lack of retail business on the square should've kept supporting the retail businesses that used to be on the square instead of taking their business out of town and to Walmart. Check out the ads in a high school annual from the 1960's or 1970's to see what we are now lacking. Joyce M. Coomer This story was posted on 2015-08-31 12:46:41
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