In response to “In Our View: Keep on-street parking on Columbia Street” (The Columbian, May 16): How do we build vibrant cities? One key step is working on ways to move people safely through our city. Our streets are built for the movement of goods and people. People move by many modes.
As our city grows, more demand is placed on our transportation infrastructure. It is unfortunate that our leading newspaper’s editorial board is choosing to focus only on current needs instead of planning for the future. Our region is growing rapidly and one can assume there will be even more pressure on our system.
The very narrow view stated by the editorial board of the Westside Mobility Project reflects a lack of understanding of the larger regional transportation picture. Columbia Street is a major route for many people traveling from Hazel Dell and north of our city to downtown and even on to Portland by means other than the automobile. It is important to address equity in transportation options not just to print the loudest voice and the easiest story.
