To The Reader’s Forum:

Having spent portions of our careers advocating for “complete streets,” we were pleased for the renewed exposure your April 22nd article gave to the subject. We also commend Mayor Sundquist and the City Council for the Vision Zero and the concern to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities. Meaningful improvements to Jamestown’s streets are long overdue.

Besides the benefits of improved safety, there are many more benefits of properly painted, curbed and appointed thoroughfares. Complete streets are more appealing to walk along, engage with our friends or intercept a school board member to understand the latest news. More eyes and ears on the streets make them safer, as well.

Narrower-painted car lanes, benches, statues and outdoor murals have proven traffic calming effects reducing the need for the heavy hand of law enforcement. Passers by are more likely to stop and look around a community with an appealing streetscape, and less likely to stop and explore a street that looks like North Main Street, a bike and pedestrian nightmare and primary gateway to the City of Jamestown.

Commerce increases and vacancies decline on complete streets. As a business owner, would you rather have potential customers walking or driving by your window display? Of course you would rather have them walking by, because window-shopping and impulse buying are more likely to result.

Neighborhoods with walking and biking trails are more desirable to live in and have higher property values. More pedestrian and bike-friendly streets make exercise easier and safer and can have a positive impact on community health.

We are appreciative of the recent improvements to West Third Street and Forest Avenue and anticipate the completion of the reconfigured Washington St. However, many more improvements are needed in the city before it will be safe and welcoming for pedestrians and bicyclists. Immediate and relatively inexpensive improvements are possible along our main streets with better painting of lanes and crosswalks.

Our work with local municipalities earlier in this decade resulted in complete street policies being enacted in the Cities of Dunkirk and Jamestown, as well as by Chautauqua County. We recognize the pandemic has required local governments to pivot in other directions. Now is the time to dust off those policies and commit to real improvements. We stand ready to help.

Sincerely yours,