Make an input on the Market Street Corridor Study

Letter from Erol Caglarcan of Cape Fear Cyclists and sirbikesalot.com about a study going on about the Market Street corridor and an opportunity to speak up about how it should be updated:

To all CFC Members:

Tonight there was a public meeting to discuss plans to “integrate
transportation and land use planning in an effort to improve safety
and mobility along the entire corridor” of Market Street. This was an
opportunity for citizens to say what they’d like out of Market St..
They wanted to know what we thought, what was important to us for
improving Market St. This is a big deal. It is 11 miles of a key
artery in the county. The consulting company out of Charlotte
developing the plan seems really on the ball with respect to urban
planning, mixed use development, and multi-modal transportation.
However, we need to make sure that our input is put into the plan.
They want us to participate and take ownership, so that it is
something we all want and so it doesn’t end up like the previous plans
that have been created over the last 25 years. I CANNOT OVERSTATE THE
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING CAPE FEAR CYCLISTS INPUT INTO THIS PLAN!!!!!!!
Otherwise we won’t get anything out of it. And then we have no right
complaining because we had the opportunity to change the future and
did nothing.

I understand that the notice for this meeting did not get out in time,
but there were four CFC members including myself out of about 20 or so
residents, so that’s not too bad a ratio. And we did get to sit down
with a planner and a huge map and mark up areas, which was fantastic.
I gave them a copy of the Rails-to-Trails Active Transportation for
America study, which they really appreciated. They are going to take
our input to the Community Arts Center in downtown (2nd St and
Orange), were they will spend all day tomorrow working on the plan.
They welcome people to come and talk with them and give their ideas.
You can see the maps there too. Then this Thursday they will have
another meeting at 5:30pm (details below), where they will review and
discuss potential solutions and improvements.

IF YOU VALUE CYCLING AND WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THERE IS STILL
TIME!!!!! Please attend either or both of these events:

1)
October 29
All day
Market Street Corridor Study Work Session
Community Arts Center
120 S. Second St., Wilmington, NC

2)
October 30, 2008,
5:30-7:30pm
Market Street Corridor Study
Public Work Session
Ogden Elementary School

Review and discuss potential solutions and improvements.

Together we can make a difference.

Thank you,

Erol Caglarcan
CFC Advocacy