By Scott Unger • Of the News-Register • 

Latest phase of Third Street redevelopment ramps up; community forum planned

Only current online subscribers may access this article and/or our N-R e-editions.

One-day subscriptions available for just $3.

For all subscription offers, click here.

Already a subscriber, please

Comments

N1CKELBC

I hope the new design will include water fountains.

Otis

You won't need traffic lights on 3rd if it's pedestrian only. Just build a new parking deck to handle the lost on-street parking.

Bill B

I would invite the planning group and the retailers on Third Street to visit Europe. There, it's quite common to have pedestrian only streets and based on a recent visit to Spain, everyone wins. Why is this not being given serious consideration?

PAO

Bill B, I agree that European cities have wonderful walking opportunities. The difference for me is that Europe has much better mass transit, and that minimizes the need for cars. I traveled for work, spending about a quarter of my time in Europe and never had to rent a car. Light rail and train options got me wherever I needed to go, more easily and faster than driving would have.

Another difference is that the cities have large numbers of apartments and other living opportunities in their city cores.

McMinnville/Yamhill County does not have a robust mass transit system, and our planning department has rezoned virtually all the downtown housing to short-term vacation rentals. The Taylor building is a prime example.

If Third Street is converted to pedestrian only, people still need to get to the downtown area - unless Third Street merchants can survive with a 6-block trade zone - and so that means parking and cars still need to be included in any Third Street planning. But then again, the planning department has labeled a new city center in its Three Mile plan and the council has just approved 30,000 sq ft of commercial space at Baker and Hill, so maybe the goal is to make Third tourist only and discourage locals from visiting.

Bill B

PAO-Last I checked 2nd street and 4th are only about 100 steps from third street. There are very few parking spaces on third anyway. Seems the solution is additional parking spaces on 2nd and 4th. Think up.

Otis

Another issue from making 3rd St ped-only is that all traffic coming over the bridge from the east on 3 mile ln would have to be diverted onto 1st St. Extending 2nd St east into Three mile lane would be better in theory, but that would cut St James Catholic Church in half. 1st St is the better option.

PAO

Bill B, I agree. My point was that there still needs to be parking somewhere close to Third.

  • Most viewed
  • Most commented
Web Design and Web Development by Buildable