Picture Main Street remains controversial for one main reason: one lane in each direction would cause serious backups in traffic.

PMS proponents’ concerns about the hazards and troubles of a car-dominated society are real. But their design is based on what the world should be rather than what it actually is.

This is the same kind of thinking that allowed the city to neglect to paint the dotted white lines that would demarcate two lanes going in each direction, even though the vast majority of motorists use the road that way. Yes, in theory, motorists “should” use it as one lane, but they simply don’t, and the government’s refusal to accommodate actual traffic flow has caused more chaos and danger than if the town had listened to what’s realistic.

And here’s what’s realistic: people are going to keep buying cars. The population of Northampton is going to continue to increase. So will traffic. Bottlenecking Main Street is going to cause burdensome delays for anyone who wants to drive through this city with no byways. It will also deter people from going to Northampton at all, even though the vast majority of people driving through Northampton are not making “discretionary” trips, as PMS proponents would have you believe. They think Northampton is a place for optional window-shopping and leisurely strolling for people who can afford to buy their food from restaurants five days a week.

I’m all for progress. I’m all for redoing the crumbling water mains and electric infrastructure. I’m all for making Northampton more pedestrian-friendly and more accessible for bikers.

But if you think tightening Main Street is not going to be excessively burdensome to motorists, your head is buried in the sand. A viable two-lane alternative solution was offered, but was rejected while forums for public comment were woefully under-advertised, as if the city is sick of deliberating on this project and just wants to get it over with. We get it. You don’t want the renovation held up for another year. But, if it’s meant to last a lifetime, we’d better get it right.

Daniel Wininger

Williamsburg