Pedestrian Mall Plans Focus on Shared Vehicle Use

An urban planning firm has presented several scenarios for the , aimed at finding a happy medium between foot and vehicle traffic to maximize daily and seasonal use.

Tuesday night, at the third in a series of public meetings to discuss the future of the mall, Tim Love of the planning firm Utile explained that the mall is already a shared space between pedestrians and delivery trucks, emergency vehicles and trolleys.

Utile's proposals, which will be refined into a final plan for the the next and final public forum next month at the Community Room, include turning the mall into a one-way street running East from Washington Street, with options for closing the street to vehicles during festivals.

The company's idea is "not to make Essex Street look like a conventional street," Love said. "We were careful to create a design to allow scenarios [for use] to develop over time."

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll said she came to the meetings with "no preconceived notions," but reiterated Love's contention that the mall is a shared space already.

In response to concerns raised by members of the public at the forum, including many business owners, Driscoll said financing for the revitalization project would come through grants.

"We don't have any money, but six months ago we didn't have any money for the either," Driscoll said. "We've been pretty good at bringing home some bacon."

Tom Tetrault, owner of , which has been located on the mall for 77 years, said he is open to some of the plans. But allowing vehicle traffic won't be a panacea for what ails the mall, he said.

"Our main concern is the physical condition of the mall," Tetrault said. "Traffic may help some things, but not everything."