The second 2013 Bernice Garden Farners’ Market couldn’t have been lovelier, and seeing crowds of people walking down the sidewalks on a Sunday just added to the pleasure of the day.
Shoppers stroll toward the second farmers’ market of the season.
Monday’s happenings on the corner of 15th and Main helped make Earth Day a little happier in SoMa. The Downtown Little Rock Partnership, in conjunction with the mayor’s office and others, held a “Pedestrians Taking the Streets Back!” press conference to formally announce plans to repave and repaint Main Street from 10th to Roosevelt.
Sharon Priest welcomes attendees to the press conference.
(Our modest founder Anita Davis got a nod of recognition during the ceremony, a well-deserved one.)
The hopes are that conversion to two lanes from four, with bike lanes to boot, will encourage drivers to slow down, enjoy the sights, visit various sites, and give pedestrians a chance to cross the street safely.
If it works, it will be a big step toward increasing safety. Our neighborhood is already highly walkable, but the jokes we make about dodging cars are really no laughing matter.
Things can get downright scary.
Shelley Green, owner of The Green Corner Store, discusses traffic issues. Jack Sundell of The Root Cafe was next up.
Jack Sundell, co-owner of The Root Cafe, described the hazards of transporting carts of fresh-baked goods across the street from Boulevard to The Root during rush-hour traffic.
“Cars driving too fast are a detriment to public safety,” he said, especially for parents pushing their children in strollers.
Warwick Sabin of the Oxford American took a quick break from his legislative duties to speak. He said Oxford employees were particularly pleased with the news because as things are, they’re “scared to cross the street” to get to work.
Sunday mornings find Main Street fairly quiet, but on workdays, traffic is brisk.
It’s definitely a step in the right direction.
So is marking your calendar and making plans to do something for Neighborday, Saturday, April 27. We’ll have two of our five grandchildren for the weekend, and we plan to stroll them to the Garden and speak to every neighbor we see.
Watch for more to come on that later this week, but for now, you can visit www.good.is/neighboring
Good walkability makes for good neighboring. And cute couples strolling make everyone smile.