Moderation

In life — all things in moderation.

As the City Council considers the future direction of State Street, it should adopt the above principle of moderation for guiding its deliberations. The City Council should avoid extreme positions that advocate “all this” or “all that” when seeking a solution for State Street. Rather, it should reach a compromise solution among the many competing interest groups.

What would this compromise look like? I think that in large part it would be the simple design by Cass Ensberg, which was widely available and referred to by a number of public speakers at the City Council meeting of June 27, 2023. For restauranteurs, her proposal continues outdoor dining on sidewalks; for bike riders, it provides space on the street; for pedestrians, it increases useable sidewalk space; for the disabled and elderly, it envisions ADA trollies, and finally, it permits the return of vehicles to some parts of State Street.

Do we really want to spend the next three years until 2026 essentially doing nothing when there is a reasonable solution available to us now? It is incumbent upon the Mayor and City Council to take action to implement a reasonable, balanced and moderate approach to solving the State Street situation. This is a solution which allows the sharing of common space among all of us.

Let’s get this done and move on.