Disclaimer: Our reporter’s ball point pen ran out of ink right after the Pledge of Alliance, so the following is based on her best recollection--but we believe it captures the essence of what happened.
Mayor: Next item.
Clerk: Proposal to place a Class I bike path on Pierce Street.
Mayor: Staff report, please.
Staff: We have spent a lot of money and effort making three different plans, none of which are perfect. But it seems a shame to waste all this fine bureaucratic effort and so we think the path should happen. While Pierce Street is the only street serving roughly 2000 residents in the Gateview, Bridgewater, and Bayside condominium complexes, we would only narrow the street by 10 feet, so there should be plenty of street left, although it might be kind of scrunched. That’s not a technical term.
Mayor: Sounds good. Can we have comments from the public?
Resident #1: There are real safety concerns here because traffic will be running right next to pedestrians, including little kids, who, as you Mr. Mayor have often said, represent our future. We don’t want it.
Mayor: Thank you. Next please.
Resident #2: Parking is an issue. It is hard to pull out safely into the street now, and it will be much worse with a narrower street. There are buses, and bus stops. There are moving vans as people move in and out. There are guests. There are service vehicles. This is the only street in Albany that serves so many residents. It is a bad idea.
Mayor: Thank you. Next.
Resident #3: I have a petition here signed by 500 residents saying they don’t want it.
Mayor: Next.
Bicycle advocate: I don’t envy the Council. It has such a very hard and agonizing decision to make. To impact the lives of 2000 Albany citizens in a potentially negative way is something not to be taken lightly. (Face exhibits pained expression and tear roles down cheek.) However, on the bright side, none of you Council members live there, so you'll be just fine. And there’s no question that a Class I bike path, even though it is only about a quarter mile long and dumps into the street at both ends, is a beautiful thing to be cherished. I urge passage. (Smiles)
Mayor: Comments from Council members?.
Council member: A quarter mile of Class I bike path on Pierce Street is not going to pull Albany people out of their cars, or make any real difference. Bicyclists will bike. People who need to travel in cars will continue to do so. And the fact is that all those who would be impacted by such a path in a negative way are Albany residents, tax payers, and voters-- and the vast majority of them don’t want this path. I’d say the questionable gains to be had just don’t justify a major negative impact on the day-to-day lives of these perfectly good Albany people.
Mayor: Other Council Comments?
Other Council member: Yes, I’d like to say some words. On the one hand, safety is paramount. We must have safety. Without safety, all is lost. But on the other hand, with sufficient speed bumps, red lights, stop signs, concrete barriers, creative striping and the like, we might be able to achieve substantial "traffic calming" and an acceptable level of safety for this short section of street. On the matter of parking, these condominiums were built with one parking slot per unit. This, of course, turns out to be very green since it discourages two-car families. So that is very invrionmental and the residents are to be commended for moving there. But, of course, it can be hard on guests who come to visit. But then I’m not sure the residents have that many guests. Or maybe they could cut down on guests, or go visit the guests at their homes instead of inviting them over.. These are some things to explore. Further study might be called for to address the concerns of those affected. It sometimes doesn’t hurt to ask people what their views are. We've made promises. (Did not elaborate) In my experience few youngsters these days have any interest in bicycles, or even want one. So the more people they see riding bikes the more they might want to ride when they are older, which would be very good.. Well I think my word count has reached an acceptable level, so now I will be silent.
Yet Another Council member: I once heard a respected therapist say: “If you have a guilty conscience, do something about it.” So I am going to have to vote my conscience on this one.
(The Council then made and seconded a motion to study the issue further and address the concerns of the residents. It passed 3-2.)
Mayor: I support some further discussion. But you residents of Pierce Street need to be very clear on the point that you will get this Class 1 bike path. The purpose of the further discussions will be to sugar coat this pill. But please understand: in the end you will swallow it. Don't let Albany's "small town ambience" fool you. There are regional, national, and international forces at work here (plus funding considerations) that simply won't be derailed by a few minor inconveniences to local inhabitants. You are citizens of the World first, and of Albany second--actually maybe third or fourth depending on further regional and state mandates. To achieve our lofty social and environmental goals, we must make sacrifices, and in this case, you have the privilege of being selected.