Councilmember Johnson throws a wrench in plan to narrow Washington Ave.

The plan to slim Washington Avenue ignited the tensions of a gentrifying neighborhood and highlighted the constraints of the town’s public outreach course of.

Management at OTIS admitted early this yr that long-term residents of colour had been underrepresented in a web-based survey in regards to the challenge. The town launched a sequence of quasi-closed conferences with Registered Neighborhood Organizations (RCOs), residents, companies, and advocacy teams final yr, to attempt to collect extra enter. It was after these that OTIS introduced the hybrid design, which some residents nonetheless discovered too slim.

“I’m grateful that the Councilman is listening to the individuals locally … that Washington Avenue wants to remain as is,” mentioned Annette Randolph, who has lived close to Washington Avenue for greater than six a long time.

Randolph wish to see enhancements to Washington Avenue, akin to repaving, new lighting, and new sidewalks. However she’s involved that any narrowing may trigger issues for emergency companies.

“OTIS and others haven’t consulted or have even thought in regards to the old-time residents, the individuals which were right here for years,” she mentioned.

Tom Donatucci​​, managing accomplice of the Washington Avenue Property House owners Affiliation and proprietor of properties housing a plumbing provide retailer, a hip brewery, and a veterinary hospital on Washington Avenue, can also be proud of the newest growth. He opposes something narrower than 4 lanes.

“It’s a visitors jam,” he mentioned. “From the enterprise perspective, it prevents deliveries.”

However the newest growth has infuriated followers of the narrowest design, who really feel security is being thrown out the window.

“I believe it’s actually ridiculous what [Johnson’s] doing,” mentioned Joe Cox, a motorbike courier, and bike security advocate. “It reveals clearly that he doesn’t actually have an actual care for lots of his constituents in his district.”

Cox and others, together with Daniel McGlone, a resident of the Graduate Hospital neighborhood close to Washington Avenue and a member of the South of South Neighborhood Affiliation board of administrators, say OTIS ought to go forward with the blended lane configuration no matter Johnson’s place.

“The neighborhood has come out and so they have overwhelmingly supported the mixed-lane plan that OTIS put ahead,” McGlone mentioned. “I believe the town ought to transfer ahead with that plan. Actually, there’s nothing that the council member did that might not allow them to try this.”