Commentary: Driving in Circles

When SilverPlace LLC presented its European-modelled plaza at Thursday's planning board meeting, it gave the board some idea of what an urban area should be: accessible.

Specifically, the design included sidewalks and two-way vehicular access from Spring Street and Planning Place, plus the extension of Fenton Street into the proposed plaza. If it weren't for a speed-reducing "textured" road surface, the passages could be considered thru streets.

So it was surprising when Commissioner John Robinson tensed over the idea of cars rolling through the proposed mixed-use development. Ostensibly, his concern was the conceptual and literal collision of cars with pedestrians.

Unfortunately, Commissioner Robinson, other board members and even other developers are looking at urban planning through rosy, suburban glasses. Urban development should be at the inclusion of the surrounding neighborhood. Access to roadways, retailers and other amenities should be unencumbered, not enclosed within a citadel gone condo.

Without two-way auto traffic through the proposed development, the roadways become nothing more than glorified circular driveways. And it's the road to nowhere that intensifies gridlock and shrinks pedestrian traffic.

The board should look upon the Silver Place project as an opportunity to invigorate this small city, not to reduce it into another suburban subdivision.

Thank you, Lego, for making urban planning fun.