I’m a former Northampton resident who’s enjoyed all the city offers for the past 50 years. I’ve researched Picture Main Street and feel it’s a bad idea; in part, as it may so negatively impact some downtown businesses that they’d be forced to close. You don’t believe that can happen? It is right now in Burlington, Vermont, where that city’s own ongoing 3-year “Great Streets” redo of blocks of downtown Main Street is hurting businesses, some fatally, according to a report by Seven Days in that city. Please see the link’s photo. Won’t this be the real Picture Main Street?
Nectar’s, the beloved Burlington Main Street nightspot at which Phish got its start, just threw in the towel and closed permanently after 50 years. Do we want this to happen to the Iron Horse? Do you really believe Northampton’s project will take only its projected 3 years? MassDOT says the redo of the Damon Road and King Street project won’t finish until this fall’s punch list; it began in 2021 and was to be completed in 2023, according to Western Mass News. And that’s one intersection. I’ll not touch upon the many flaws of the Northampton design, as others have detailed well. Yes, a complete trial run is needed. The city owes its citizens and taxpayers at least that much.
Lawrence Lewis
Spencer