Despite taking center stage at the meeting, an ongoing effort from at-large city councilor Karen Kalinowsky to put a referendum on scrapping North Street’s bike lanes on this year’s ballot remains in a curious limbo. Faced with a second vote on the topic, President Peter Marchetti admitted he had no idea where things stand legally.
“Two weeks ago, we got ourselves in that problem because there was language said to put it on the ballot," he said. "But I've asked the people today what were we putting on the ballot, because what we approved at the last meeting was not in a legal ballot form.”
He threw the issue to city solicitor Stephen Pagnotta, who was similarly inconclusive about what the body had actually voted on January 24th.
“One was a vote to amend the petition that I had originally drafted to take out the word bike lanes, and that was approved unanimously," said Pagnotta. "And then the second motion was to refer this matter to the city solicitor.”
At-large city councilor Earl Persip, who was not present at the last meeting, ultimately used a charter objection to kick any further vote on the issue to the next gathering on February 28th.
“I don't support putting this on the ballot. I never did. We are here to make votes, decisions. If we want to start putting things on the ballot that social media dislikes, we might as well just become a town and do a town meeting at that point.”
Reached by WAMC Wednesday morning, Marchetti confirmed that it is not clear whether or not the votes taken by the council have definitively put the bike lane question on this year’s ballot.
While Pittsfield’s leaders are mired in confusion around the issue, its residents are not. Many took to the mic during the public portion of the meeting to defend the bike lanes.
“As a business owner, I won't lie- At first I had mixed feelings about the bike lane," said Gary Cardot. "But as the season went on, we did our sidewalk events and immediately noticed how much slower the traffic was moving and how much more people were able to look around and take notice to the businesses downtown.”
Cardot is co-owner of the Funky Phoenix at 441 North Street.
“I do not see the advantages of having a two-lane thruway for local traffic to speed through what is supposed to be our downtown shopping district," he continued. "I do however see the advantages of driving of drivers having no choice but to travel slower, and I also see the advantages of having a comfortable environment for pedestrians to move safely. If I were given free rein over the design of North Street, I would close it completely. I would have parking on either end, easy, safe and even fun pedestrian passage, and an outdoor public market of sorts in the center.”
Rebecca Brien, Managing Director of Downtown Pittsfield Inc., said that any plan to return North Street to having four lanes for cars and none for bikes would be a step backwards for the community. She came to the meeting to not only decry the ballot question but to support her own effort to change the strip’s parking configuration to diagonal — which she says 60% of business owners support.
“To revert back to a design that did not support a walkable, shoppable, or livable district without allowing room for improvements does a disservice to our community," Brien told the city council. "My question is this: Does a simplified, all or nothing question on a ballot give the voters their best voice? Or would implementing a design that supports our merchants, our residents, and our visitors, whether by car, by foot, or by bike, and taking into consideration the concerns that we already know, move us forward?”
Resident Barbara Mahoney said the sweeping changes to Pittsfield’s core implemented in 2020 did take a minute to adjust to. Audience reaction to her remarks caused Marchetti to issue a warning.
“But since that time, I have no problem navigating North Street," said Mahoney. "I have no problem making a right or left turn from the one lane for cars and trucks and vans. A lane for bicycles was a definite need. But the best part of this new design is parking on North Street. It’s so much easier to park, and departing from a parking place one can view oncoming traffic. So, it's a breeze to park on North Street. One of the objectives was to slow down traffic and that has been accomplished too. I usually do not talk about my age. But since I had a significant birthday in January, I think it's pertinent to this issue. If a 90-year-old woman can easily drive on North Street and this new design benefits cyclists and slows down traffic on North Street, then why all this controversy? Too much time-”
“Folks, let the people speak and no applause please,” said Marchetti as cheers filled city council chambers.
“Too much time has been given to this issue," continued Mahoney. "We need to be spending time on the issues of poor roads, potholes that can do damage to our cars, dams that may break, the homeless. I mean, I could go on and on. But that's where I think your priorities need to be.”
“I do have an issue with the notion that a street is only for cars and that bicycles should be shunted to the sidewalk or to the nature trail," said Nicholas Russo. "We've had two pedestrian deaths take place in the span of a month on roads that were designed with this notion in mind.”
Outspoken transportation advocate and North Street resident Russo worked as a contractor with Pittsfield on developing an early version of its downtown lane redesign.
“North Street, our main street, is a fundamental platform for all ages, abilities, incomes and backgrounds to participate in civic life," he continued. "There needs to be an expectation of commingling and some messiness along the way. I do not believe that deciding who is welcome to our main street should be left up to a popular referendum. We do not vote on which buildings get ramps and elevators, or if a street corner gets a curb cut or not. We've decided that those are issues of universal access and changed our standards accordingly. We're in the midst of another standard shift right now, a shift away from the 100-year-long experiment that streets are simply for moving motor vehicles, an experiment that goes against the grain of 12,000 years of recorded history where our streets are for people and whatever way they travel.”
The city council will take up the bike lanes ballot question again on February 28th.
