Whitefish a parking mess

What a mess! Driving and parking in downtown Whitefish should not be an adventure.

Beside the shortcomings of our elected officials to foresee this problem, we have a faction (not all, but many) of new residents who have brought with them the rudeness of the city. Common courtesy is not one of their attributes. Speeding, blowing through crosswalks with pedestrians in them, tailgating so close — making their point that you’re not driving above the posted limits as they are — are the attributes that add to the problem. I suggest to you newbies that you learn what courtesy actually is. Whitefish is a friendly community. Don’t ruin it.

As to our elected officials: it is not as if this could not be anticipated. In response, you’ve done little to address the problem. Yes, a downtown ramp will help, but it only replaces those parking areas lost to development. What will happen when the new downtown hotel, with far fewer parking spaces than their hotel will accommodate, unleashes dozens more seeking a place to park? Why did you approve such?

And could someone please sequence the stoplights so northbound traffic turning left off Spokane onto Second Street isn’t constantly stopped in the Central Avenue intersection (blocking traffic) because of the deference shown to those (Iron Horse, Big Mountain, East Lakeshore) coming from across the viaduct on Baker Avenue. A heavily used highway, a conduit to other places, should have preference over Baker Avenue traffic during high traffic times.

Maybe work a deal with the railroad for parking in their extended lot during events requiring extra parking. And please, Chief Dial, ticket the excessive speeders on Baker Avenue. I’ve had people pass me on the right near the Kiddie Park while pedestrians are in crosswalks. That is insane.

— Jerry Straka, Whitefish