Pretty Downtown versus Capital Boulevard

Figure this: On any given day you can run into traffic snarls on Glenwood Avenue, Capital Boulevard or Wade Avenue. Real snarls. Real traffic problems.



But, instead of solving those real traffic problems Meeker, Stephenson, Crowder and Company – the three Amigos on the City Council – are getting ready to spend $6 million on English-style roundabouts to make Hillsborough Street prettier.



They would agree, I suspect, that downtown needs to be pretty, that gentrifying Hillsborough Street a la Piccadilly Circus is good, and that all Raleigh gains from a vibrant booming downtown.



But should making Hillsborough Street “pretty” really come before solving real traffic problems on Capital Boulevard? This is another example Meeker, Stephenson, Crowder and Company’s strange case of myopia. Pretty downtown trumps real elsewhere.



Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.

Posted in ,
Avatar photo

Carter Wrenn

Categories

Archives

Recent Posts

Pretty Downtown versus Capital Boulevard

Figure this: On any given day you can run into traffic snarls on Glenwood Avenue, Capital Boulevard or Wade Avenue. Real snarls. Real traffic problems.



But, instead of solving those real traffic problems Meeker, Stephenson, Crowder and Company – the three Amigos on the City Council – are getting ready to spend $6 million on English-style roundabouts to make Hillsborough Street prettier.



They would agree, I suspect, that downtown needs to be pretty, that gentrifying Hillsborough Street a la Piccadilly Circus is good, and that all Raleigh gains from a vibrant booming downtown.



But should making Hillsborough Street “pretty” really come before solving real traffic problems on Capital Boulevard? This is another example Meeker, Stephenson, Crowder and Company’s strange case of myopia. Pretty downtown trumps real elsewhere.



Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.

Posted in ,
Avatar photo

Carter Wrenn

Categories

Archives