I wanted to just drop you a note to let you know how important it is that Farmington residents spend $3.3 million on the downtown streetscape project. You’ve asked for the right to vote on this expenditure, and I can appreciate that. In these times, every penny counts. So here’s my question: How much is my life worth to you?
Now, I know you may not know me. Or you may know me and not like me. But I’m still a human being, I contribute. My husband, children and grandchildren love me, my mother is proud of me, I have brothers and a sister and some friends who would miss me if I wasn’t around. And that nearly happened today, as I walked in Downtown Farmington.
You couldn’t ask for a more gorgeous spring day, and that’s what slowed me down. I stood at the northwest corner of Farmington and Grand River, waiting for the light to change and breathing in the fresh, warm air. The bulbs in front of the Masonic Hall have cracked the surface. Across the street, a father and son emerged from the Corner Barbershop, freshly buzzed and clipped.
I watched the traffic light change from green to yellow, then to red. The light I faced turned green and the “walk” signal flashed on. Normally, at this point, I’m already a few steps into the street, because normally, traffic slows at a yellow light. Not this time. As I prepared to cross, I heard the revving of an engine and watched a white, mid-sized care whose make and model I couldn’t identify blew through the red light. The driver continued down the broad expanse of Grand River at high speed.
Now, a streetscape project isn’t going to stop people from doing stupid, selfish things behind the wheel. But I firmly believe a driver who looks ahead at a narrow street, with cars parked on both sides in between jutting peninsulas of concrete, will be less likely to push the accelerator to the floor when approaching a yellow light, because there would be no room for error. In fact, the professionals who have taken a look at our downtown and those who helped develop the streetscape plan say that’s what will happen.
There are people who don’t want traffic to slow down, they’ll tell you this will choke the life out of our city. Do not believe them. Cars don’t shop. Cars that blow past our business district don’t give their drivers enough time to see what’s in the windows. If people would just slow down a little, they might see just how wonderful our city can be.
So please consider voting “yes” on this bond issue. Because what will most certainly choke our city is a pedestrian being mowed down in a crosswalk.
Joni Hubred-Golden
Michigan Woman Blogger
4 Comments
April 21, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Its disappointing to see the waste of energy being expended concerning the halt of the streetscape project. To me its a no brainer. I think its a matter of revenge in some ways. And the old guy who tried to get me to sign the petition seemed like he had a special animosity toward some of the businesses that the people on the DDA own.
April 23, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Just out of curiosity, how many pedestrians have been mowed down at the Grand River / Farmington Rd. intersection?
As I’ve commented in the past, I really have no idea if the streetscape project is a good idea. Methinks there’s a bit of hyperbole on both sides of the issue. I don’t see it saving downtown Farmington and I don’t see it destroying it either. However, it is a sizable chunk of money.
In 2006-07, Farmington’s general fund spent $8.1 million and the street fund amounted to $1.4 million. This project of $3.3 million is pretty substantial to the city. To put it to a vote of the taxpayers who will foot the bill seems pretty reasonable.
April 24, 2008 at 5:31 am
I have no idea how many pedestrians have been mowed down, although I know of two car-pedestrian accidents around Farmington Road and the Downtown Farmington Business Center over the past few years. One put a friend of mine in the hospital. But fatalities are really not the point. I was using hyperbole, good catch there…
My point: Downtown Farmington is not pedestrian friendly, because you can’t make friends with two tons of steel blowing past you in a crosswalk.
I am also not saying that a vote is a bad idea, although many multi-million dollar projects have sailed through before this. It seems obvious that city council overestimated citizen trust or, perhaps, no one knew the petition option existed before Hank came along. Interestingly, several council members said Monday they believe voters don’t trust government - quite the transformation from the merger discussion, wherein one city official wrote that the majority of Farmington residents didn’t speak up one way or the other because they trust their government to do the right thing. But I digress…
At this point, there’s really nothing to save or destroy in Downtown Farmington. It’s not a bad place. Some of us just believe this project could make it a whole lot more successful.
April 27, 2008 at 3:54 pm
As to how many pedestrians have been mowed down…. Ask Farmington Mayor Valerie Knol about her experiance crossing the street. It made the front page a few years back.
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