October 8’s headline said “CBJ Project to control vehicle, pedestrian free-for-all” and reported on the port director’s presentation to the Chamber of Commerce explaining a plan to sort buses and other vehicles by size by redirecting pedestrian traffic to the Sea Walk.

Let me remind readers that the Seawalk was intended to lessen pedestrian congestion on South Franklin by adding an additional “sidewalk” and to provide an option for those , including locals, not interested in slow window shopping. It appears that the proposed project intends to congest

the Seawalk by closing a sidewalk and diverting pedestrian traffic to the Seawalk. Further, if I read it right, shoppers will cross the street twice (if they stick to crosswalks) to stay on the same side of South Franklin Street or, more likely, shoppers will walk in the street to stay on the side they started on.

While I imagine there is some value to arranging vehicles by size, there’s likely more value in lessening the chance of cars hitting pedestrians and allowing shoppers to walk safely on South Franklin Street by sticking to the original plan of sidewalks plus the Seawalk.

Margo Waring

Juneau