Traffic issues need addressing

Recently, City Council and city managers met to discuss Whitefish growth and street issues. So we all know rapid growth can overwhelm infrastructure, which possibly has occurred in Whitefish.

Last summer I was leaving the Railway District at stop sign on Baker and First Street near the VFW. I was heading east to turn right to head south. The traffic was dense and swift. A guy came out of the VFW, jumped into his SUV, looked north at traffic heading off the viaduct and decided to try to beat the traffic, turned right onto Baker, gunned the gas while holding what appeared to be a cell phone up in the air He forgot to straighten the wheel and drove straight over the pedestrian sign notifying it was a cross walk. Now, there is one set of yellow pedestrian poles and crosswalk signs instead of the two at corner. In my opinion, that corner absolutely requires a stop light so people like me can get out of the Railway District onto Baker Street and to promote more foot traffic into the Railway District.

A little over two weeks ago as I was leaving Fleur Bakery, I heard yelling in front of Stumptown Snowboards following a loud crash. A man had exited his white SUV, behind a smaller maroon SUV with two women. He was proceeding to berate the driver for causing him to run into the back of her car. The woman in the maroon SUV had to stop to let a large pickup truck back out into the road. The maroon SUV had to stop because the truck pulling out of the parking place was blocking traffic flow. The truck parked on Central was too big for angle parking. Then, the guy in the white SUV must not have been tuned in to traffic in front of him and ran into the back of the maroon SUV. Large vehicles, including trucks, that park in the compact parking spots on Central causing normal traffic to become blocked needs to be addressed.

The speeding on Central in front of Wild Coffee and Central Avenue Deli across from Crystal Winters is unbelievable. My husband and I have sat in both Wild and Central Avenue Deli remarking on the speeding both ways. There is a mix of young and old on Central Avenue with strollers, carriers, bikes and people walking with canes, dogs, etc.

How about speed bumps on Central? Or speed signs? Or warning signs? Or tickets to speeders?

I recommend a new stop light at the corner of Baker and First Avenue, change in laws as to what type of vehicles can park on Central how parking must be, and figure out how to slow traffic down.

If anyone agrees with me I hope you will contact your representatives and our decision makers for the city. I think our city mangers and representatives do very good difficult and good work and in my opinion Whitefish is a great place to live, work, and recreate.

Mary Jane Barrett, Whitefish