Not too late to change downtown plan

Today, I received in the mail an announcement from Robert Peccia and Associates regarding the Whitefish Downtown Infrastructure Improvements Project with their "Project Update." What I found of particular interest and motivation to write this letter was the information provided regarding the Third Street design.

For those of you who are familiar with the city, there is not a lot of foot traffic on Third between Spokane and Baker. Grant it, the Buffalo Cafe does see a lot of business most mornings and on Sunday, but it is not a pedestrian-heavy area. However, there is a lot of vehicular traffic, as it is a convenient parallel to Second Street and the traffic lights.

In the "improvements' description, Third Street will now have a sidewalk wider than the traffic lanes. The proposal (actually not a proposal but the way it will be) is that the sidewalks will be 11.5 feet wide and the driving lanes 10.5 feet wide with parallel parking of 8.5 feet wide.

Let's see now, how close to the curb do you park? You are permitted to park up to 18" from the curb without being cited for "too far from the curb." If one parks, 17 inches from the curb (not unusual in winter) and your car is 8 feet wide (normal), the driving lane will be 9 feet wide.

Pretty tight for a truck should you have to pass adjacent to oncoming traffic. I don't think the street/sidewalk width portion of this project was very well thought out, do you?

Since back in January, when I realized what the proposed project entailed, I have been opposed to the "improvements' — specifically the wider sidewalks (hence narrowing the streets), the bulbouts at the intersections 'very Disney), and the raised pedestrian crossings (are you too lame to step off a curb?).

These modifications are not for the benefit of this town. They are the concept of a limited number of people who feel that this beautification of the downtown will attract retail shoppers.

I don't think so. What it will do is create a very inconvenient and accident-prone driving district that locals will come to avoid due to the problems it entails to shop there. This is what will destroy downtown Whitefish, not the lack of "pedestrian-friendly" features.

Downtown is very pedestrian friendly. When did you last walk to the corner to cross? Have you ever hesitated to chat with a friend in a passing car when walking on the sidewalk or street? When was the last time you cursed at the front bumper of a car parked there because it was infringing on your 'space"? Downtown Whitefish is the model of pedestrian-friendly.

Most people I have spoken with regarding these changes have considered them impractical, ridiculous, crazy, ludicrous and so on — the adjectives could continue. Basically, they find these changes contrary to the benefit of the downtown area and a detraction to the historical Old West look.

The majority of the downtown merchants are against this and have formed an organization (Whitefish Merchants Association and Concerned Citizens Group) to attempt to forestall this project, but they have been ignored by the Whitefish City Council. Most of the city council members are not representing nor following the will of the people.

They say that this is a 'representative" government and they are representing the people, but they ignored the pleas and petition of more than 620 people. They have been a continuous disappointment in the governmental process since this opposition started. They say that the people had their voice at the three public meetings Peccia & Associates held (about 300 people attended these, if that many).

They say this is a "done deal," but it is not. They have changed the parking structure continuously until we now have a parking lot that is 50 percent full most of the time. Until the contractor puts the first shovel in the pavement, it is not a done deal.

If you are interested and would like to prevent this from continuing, write a letter to the city council members, talk to businesses along Central Avenue, attend a council meeting and speak out – there is a period at the beginning of each meeting in the first five minutes to address the city council, it would take very little of your time to potentially make a difference.

You can make a difference, you only need to do something. Apathy gets nothing done. It is very simple and painless to voice your opinion and, on the plus side, you may feel good about it having gotten it off your mind.

Toby Scott lives in Whitefish.