The other day I was sitting out in front of my restaurant, The Grit, and was thinking about how much more pleasant it would be if cars and trucks weren’t speeding by so fast. It got me thinking about the initiatives to three-lane Prince Avenue from Milledge to Pulaski from years past, so I was thrilled to read Rebecca McCarthy’s excellent piece in the Apr. 14 issue.
To hear that there is renewed interest in seriously making some positive changes to the corridor by Athens-Clarke County and the Georgia Department of Transportation makes me optimistic that something will finally happen. Three lanes along that portion of the street, aka a “road diet,” would be beneficial in several ways. Turning left onto Prince from a side street would be easier, as there would be only one lane of oncoming traffic to cross rather than two. There would be a designated center turn lane, so no more getting stuck behind someone turning left or dealing with cars weaving in and out of traffic. Also, if a pedestrian island were to be added at the crosswalk at Newton Street, I wouldn’t worry so much about my customers’ safety while trying to navigate four lanes where not all motorists stop for pedestrians. And, of course, sitting at a café table out in front of the restaurant (or the restaurants at The Bottleworks, The Lark or Daily Groceries, etc.) would be a more enjoyable experience.
There is a lot more information online about road diets that I think is very informative, so I urge everyone to educate themselves and voice their support to ACC. Thank you.
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