Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Saturday street closing considered
Action could make Farmers’ Market safer, proposal states
FAYETTEVILLE — Closing Center Street on the downtown square during the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays will create a safer environment for pedestrians and room for more vendors, according to a proposal the City Council is set to consider Tuesday.
Cars already are blocked from using the other three streets, Mountain Street and Block and East avenues, during the Saturday market. The council made that change in 2013.
Cars coming from College Avenue on Center Street could still turn north onto East Avenue. There’s a turn lane at the corner of East Avenue and Center Street.
The Farmers’ Market busts at the seams with visitors Saturdays, said Dane Eifling, the city’s bicycling and pedestrian programming coordinator, who drew up the proposal. Everyone could use more room, plus all the hustle and bustle impedes cars on that section of Center Street, he said.
“I like to say we’re opening the street to people and business and a safe environment, just like the rest of the square during those Saturdays,” Eifling said. “It’s just such a prime time.”
Cars will be able to go south on East Avenue and park at the Meadow Street parking deck, or turn west at Meadow Street and find parking elsewhere near the square, he said. Closing the streets at the square only happens during the Saturday market, not Tuesday or Thursday. The Saturday market operates 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. It runs this year until Nov. 17.
The Farmers’ Market board has considered the idea, but hasn’t taken action on it, said Chuck Rutherford, board president. Rutherford agreed closing the street would make it safer for pedestrians, especially children and those in wheelchairs. Also, the vendors on Center Street face the sidewalk in front of the Old Post Office. It gets clogged easily, he said.
Setting up on Center Street is the most sought-after spot, Rutherford said. Vendors who have been there a long time enjoy the shade from the trees. Some may not want to turn their booth around to face the street and lose the shady refuge for potential customers, he said.
On the plus side, they would have a little extra space, he said. New vendors could set up on the north sidewalk along Center Street, where cars park now, he said. The square has 70 spaces for vendors, but the market’s membership is more than 100.
Some vendors weren’t happy when the city decided to close the other streets. Mark Cain with Dripping Springs Garden in Huntsville was one of them.
Cain enjoyed being set up on Block Avenue facing the sidewalk with the square flowers nearby. It added an ambiance he knew he wouldn’t get facing the street, he said.
Cain worried business would drop if he had to turn around.
“Actually, it turned out really well to close down Block Street,” he said. “I can’t imagine it being any different closing down Center Street. It’s nice to have a big, open area where people don’t have to worry about cars coming through.”
Steven Schneider with Fenix Fayetteville, the gallery on the north side of Center Street, said he wasn’t worried the change would affect visitation. It’s hard to find a spot in front of the gallery during the Saturday market anyway, he said.
Schneider added he liked the idea.
“If anything, it could open it up for us to maybe even do some more activities in that area,” he said. “I don’t have a problem with that.”