Graham, Donna
From: GRR on behalf of Neverett Smith Qs,
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2022 9:15 PM
To: Board of Aldermen; Graham, Donna; Cummings, Tim
Subject: Downtown barriers
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| feel i need to voice my concerns over the downtown barriers and traffic problems due to the barriers. The
BARRIERS NOT the outside seating. The flow of traffic being the biggest problem from my point of view. We were
hearing it from our customers on a daily basis.
What usually has taken only a few minutes to drive thru and into downtown is now taking 15 to 20 minutes and
worse during the 2 rush hour times as well as the lunch time. Although i am not against trying to help our downtown
restaurants i am against doing it at the expense of other businesses such as our store. Putting up the barriers has a
negative effect on many of us.
Please DO NOT put these road barriers back up upsetting the flow of traffic.
The negative effect is to many of us.
| really enjoyed the outside seating , we dined outside many times.
Question/s.... Has anyone asked every restaurant that has these barriers if they even want the barriers ? They may
want the outside seating but do they need to interrupt the traffic flow and lanes.
This would include large as well as small restaurants.
The sidewalks are wide. For the ones that want them could they just use the sidewalks and not affect the roadway
and parking ?
Is this not what Surf , MT Local , Peddlers ,SFK and Marthas to name a few have been doing for years ? Using the
sidewalk with no barriers blocking traffic and traffic lanes.
These are just 4 of the great restaurants in town. Has anyone asked them if they want the barriers affecting the
traffic?
Can these restaurants handle the extra capicity with what so many people are calling lack of workers?
If you go into most restaurants you can see the signs..... please be patient, please be nice ... we are short staffed.
Basically, saying Please forgive us for being so stow due to not having enough people to work.
It seems that almost every restaurant and store is hiring and cannot find help.
How else can we come to a solution that works for all without screwing up the flow of traffic?
There are other things to consider also as others have indicated...
Emergency vehicles for one.... Those few extra minutes for Fire / Police / Ambulance coming down Library hill......
Those minutes ARE CRITICAL for emergency vehicles
Yes they know they are there Yes there are electronic signals for the lights ... but dropping down the traffic lanes
and putting up the barriers DOES affect them.
Minutes count to emergency vehicles.
i love my downtown Nashua but some things NEED to change when it comes to these barriers affecting traffic flow
and janes.
The time for them has gone by. They are no longer needed in my opinion.
Neverett Smith Jr.
