By Emmett Esnard for ThisisReno.com.
The Reno City Council met yesterday covering the latest – and what one council member assured was one of many more to come – public forum on the RTC’s proposal to revitalize Virginia Street.
Members of the Great Streets Coalition (GSC) attended, taking the podium to voice objections to what they said was RTC’s focus on auto-centric roads rather than a walkable, bikeable, local-friendly strip.
Angela Watson, one of the GSC members to speak during the meeting, made clear in her brief speech, as well as in a letter she presented to the Council, that she wanted to see speedy construction but not speedy streets, echoing the thoughts of many community members wanting to see the speed limit lowered and more focus put on pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
Marlowe Kulley, another GSC speaker at the meeting, had this to say:
“…The plans for the Midtown district devote barely more than the legal minimum required space for sidewalks and devote the remaining space to vehicle travel lanes and parking. In the narrowest section this equates to only 6 feet of sidewalk on each side of the st
reet and 52 feet devoted to automobiles.”
Paul Doege, owner of Recycled Records, voiced concern about the previous RTC project that took place on Moana Lane. Doege said he was lucky to have relocated his business to Midtown at the outset of that project but faces similar fears of losing business now with RTC’s Virginia Street project.
The Reno City Council tabled discussion on the topic for a future meeting when the Mayor will be present.
