Should city limit vehicle access to Market Square?
PORTSMOUTH — The 17 candidates for the nine open City Council seats offered a wide variety of answers about whether Market Square should be open to pedestrian and bike traffic only.
Their responses to the question posed to them by Seacoastonline ranged from showing support and offering a range of options about what the future of the iconic city center should look like, to flat-out rejections of the idea.
Incumbent City Councilor Rich Blalock said he “would like to see the city gradually move in that direction.”
“The redesign of Market Square is currently in the capital improvement plan, which will position the city to pursue any opportunities for future changes,” Blalock said. “I think any change needs an analysis on traffic implications, emergency access, parking, state requirements, impacts to businesses, etc.”
But he added that he believes Portsmouth wants “a downtown that is friendlier to pedestrians, bicycles and ADA accessible” and could involve the return of the trolley.
“As long as we discuss options, implications, and listen to the people, then I would support a gradual move to that vision,” he said.
First-time council candidate Kevin Coyle said he loves “the idea of Market Square being closed off to vehicular travel.”
“I can imagine some logistical issues in redirecting traffic, as well as ensuring it is accessible to all members of the public, but I think it should be studied,” the former Rockingham County commissioner said.
Support for limiting vehicular traffic
Incumbent Councilor Joshua Denton believes “vehicular traffic would ideally be limited as much as possible in Market Square." However, he said, "there will always remain a need for buildings access by business delivery trucks, people with disabilities, and emergency vehicles.”
The first major step, Denton stated, “would be converting the AM speedway to the shipyard that is State Street into a two-way street if possible.”
“In the meantime, the sidewalk widths on Daniel and Congress streets should gradually be expanded to improve pedestrian walkability, serve as traffic calming measures, and for the planting of many more trees,” he said. “Likewise, side streets like High and Ladd should be activated for pedestrians like Chestnut, being one uniform level with the sidewalk with the added benefit of being wider for emergency vehicles.”
He stated that “the 2019 plans to rehabilitate the Vaughn Mall, convert the Worth Lot into a plaza, and the Bridge Street Lot into a park should also be dusted off.”
Wider sidewalks and improved outdoor dining
Incumbent Councilor Kate Cook pointed to “the expanded Market
Square Redesign plan that I proposed to the council with Councilor (Andrew) Bagley” during the current council term.
It included, Cook said, a proposed “expansion of the design beyond Market Square to include the approaches from Market, Daniel, and Pleasant streets, and the remainder of Congress Street.”
“I envisioned wider sidewalks to increase accessibility for all, move outdoor dining onto sidewalks and sidewalk bulb-outs, and allow for better retailer access for sidewalk sales,” Cook explained. “I envision a plaza type atmosphere at Market Square and along Pleasant Street, with vehicular traffic reduced in volume to decrease adverse interactions between automobiles, pedestrians, and other vehicles.”
Cook stated she “never envisioned a complete closure of the square to automobile traffic, but rather a diversion of traffic from Memorial Bridge onto a twoway State Street.”
That vision featured “ways to better address closures of Pleasant Street for events in the summer such as metal retractable bollards.”
Prioritizing the human experience
Incumbent Andrew Bagley advocates for “prioritizing the human experience over traffic flow” in Market Square.
But he added that he doesn't propose “completely excluding cars.”
“Instead, I suggest directing through traffic to use alternate bridges, and reserving downtown routes primarily for local traffic,” he said. “In my brief tenure on the City Council, I've come to realize that decisions often meet the most fairness when they accommodate everyone's wishes through compromise.”
He called his ideas for Market Square a “middle-ground approach,” which seeks to “strike that balance, for both those who desire a pedestrian-only downtown and those who wish for it to be a high-speed thoroughfare.”
Proposal for a weekend pilot program
Incumbent Assistant Mayor Joanna Kelley said her viewpoint on the issue has changed in the last three years since she supported the idea of making Market Square into a “pedestrian mall.”
“I've spent a good amount of time discussing this with lots of different perspectives and now have a slightly different viewpoint,” Kelley said in response to the question. “I feel that we can find a happy middle ground. I would love to start a pilot weekend program from 5 p.m. on Friday till 5 p.m. on Sundays.”
Kelley stated that she's discussed her idea “with fire and police and both have had early support on making sure it would be done with public safety intact.”
She acknowledged too that “there are many factors we'd have to take in account.”
Some call proposed changes 'impractical'
But many candidates dismissed the idea.
Former mayor and current council candidate Rick Becksted said due “to the nature and layout of city streets, I find it impractical.”
Incumbent Mayor Deaglan McEachern doesn't “believe at this time we can eliminate car traffic in Market Square.”
“I do believe we should make Market Square more walkable, and take the necessary steps to enjoy more car-free events while working with the downtown businesses and residents to accommodate any disruption,” he said.
Not Burlington, Vermont or a European hamlet
Former councilor and council candidate Peter Whelan replied “no” when asked about the idea.
He does however “support a study to look at the redesign of Market Square with several alternatives which would include wider sidewalks and plazas.”
“There are hundreds of residents now living around Market Square which would feel the impacts of any change along with all the commercial businesses,” Whelan said. “We are not Burlington, Vermont. Our city is configured differently.”
Former councilor and council candidate Paige Trace is against closing off the square to just pedestrian and bike traffic.
“For as many people as there are paying taxes in Portsmouth, there are probably ideas as to what Market Square should look like or how it should function,” Trace said. “This city is not a European hamlet in the Alps with the vehicular traffic redirected to the perimeters. Nor should it be.”
She added that some residents “simply cannot maneuver from one area to another without the aid of a motor vehicle.”
Likewise, “our merchants on Market, Pleasant, Daniel and Congress depend on trucks for their deliveries,” Trace said.
“This is an issue that requires great public input from all of Portsmouth,” she added.
Incumbent John Tabor said he's also opposed to the idea, but added “there are opportunities to widen the sidewalk for pedestrians on lower Congress Street.”
A community decision
Former city councilor and council candidate Esther Kennedy said the debate on Market Square's future “is a community decision,” not a council one.
“The decision to shut down the downtown to cars needs to be vetted through a Master Plan process and voted on by the people,” Kennedy said.
First-time candidate Kathleen Soldati pointed to the request for proposals going out for a consultant to work on a Market Square plan.
“I expect that whatever happens with Market Square will be the result of the Planning and Sustainability Department's careful planning, discussion, evaluation of all options, with input from citizens - anyone who has a stake in Market Square,” she said.
She called for “strong community engagement in this process to hear from all stakeholders so that we continue to build a healthy, vibrant and sustainable city.”
Council candidate Petra Huda, who served one term previously on the council, asked “how can anyone give an opinion without seeing a plan.”
She added that the decision “will affect the most valued asset that Portsmouth has: the historic character of our downtown center.”
She believes that Portsmouth's configuration, “with the narrow streets and few cross streets is not conducive to safely providing accessibility to the businesses in that area.”
“Expecting all who wish to enjoy what Portsmouth has to offer to walk or bike to this area is not realistic,” Huda said.
Improving bike access a positive
First-time candidate Andrea Pickett said closing Market Square to just foot and bike traffic “might not be the best use of the space, especially in our colder New England months.”
“It also limits access to vendors and facility workers,” she added.
But Pickett believes “our cities need to create more green and pedestrianfriendly spaces wherever they can.”
She added that “anything we can do to improve bike access in our city is positive.”
A more diverse public space
But incumbent Councilor Beth Moreau believes that Market Square “should be expanded into a more diverse multi-model public space.”
“I believe cars should be able to travel and park in our downtown core, but that you only do so in order to visit an establishment located in our downtown,” Moreau said. “Parking should be no longer than one hour, and we should expand short-term parking options and handicap parking.”
She also pointed to an idea she previously raised about “moving Route 1 southbound traffic out of Market Square.”
She believes that will help make Portsmouth's City Center “into a much more pedestrian and bicycle friendly area.”
Portsmouth's economic engine
Incumbent Councilor Vince Lombardi called Market Square “a vibrant and attractive economic engine of downtown.”
“I would like to see a re-envisioned downtown including broader sidewalks, the diversion of through-vehicle traffic, and incentives to encourage short-term parking on certain streets to ensure this vibrancy,” he said. “This would help to encourage more pedestrian and bike traffic.”