Fix downtown

It is no longer safe or pleasant to walk or drive on Main Ave. One old idea is to make Main Ave. from 12th St. to College Drive one way, north to south, and Second Ave. one way south to north. There are many advantages to this idea: minimal down time to businesses, and it could double available parking on Main Ave. with diagonal parking. The bumpouts need to go anyway. This plan would also expand exposure to Second Ave. businesses with increased traffic and transit stops. No need to widen the sidewalks – replace the sandwich boards with easy, updated signage on corners, including side street businesses. Enforce rules on obstructing the sidewalk, require delivery trucks to use the existing loading zones and require the trolley to pull to the curb instead of blocking traffic when loading and unloading.

So easy and inexpensive to implement this plan, and it would actually increase revenue with more metered parking. If this old (not my) idea makes sense to you, spread the word. Tell someone influential or someone whose income is produced downtown. Tell them locals would appreciate walking and parking in front of businesses.

– Ron Pond, Durango