Expand Open Streets program to every Sunday

Open Streets is a great beginning for the city, and I was excited to read that Hartford will finally pursue this wonderful idea [Connecticut, Page 1, Oct. 15 “In Hartford, a vision for Open Streets”].

However, it doesn’t go far enough. Cities like Cambridge, Massachusetts, close several roads (some on the waterfront) every Sunday during good-weather months, and it is inspiring to see people take to the streets for exercise. Restricting Sunday road closings to once a month will not build a regular community of bicyclists, walkers and Sunday strollers in Hartford. Instead, the monthly road closings will make everyone wonder which Sunday is the one with the closings.

The reality is that traffic is light in Hartford most every Sunday, like in many cities. Closing roads every Sunday from May through October will slowly build a die-hard community of those headed to Hartford for something the suburbs will never offer: allowing pedestrians to dance freely in the streets.

Carol Szymanski, Wethersfield