BURLINGTON –\u00a0 In their continued clash with the Mayor\u2019s agenda to grow Burlington, the City Council passed a Resolution to adopt an Anti-Urbanism policy called \u201cTake Back Our Streets\u201d at their meeting on April 1, 2018.\u00a0 The fruits of their efforts have begun to appear around town starting with the removal of pavement on Pine Street.\u00a0 \u201cPavement and impermeable surfaces add to green house gas emissions and water pollution\u201d says City Councilor Max Tracy.\u00a0 \u201cThe removal of the pavement on Pine Street is going to be the best thing that ever happened in the South End.\u00a0 They\u2019ve been complaining about traffic forever, and we\u2019ve finally solved the problem for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
City Councilor Joan Shannon was a bit more circumspect about the benefits of the project.\u00a0 \u201cWhile Pine Street is finally getting the traffic calming we have been asking for,\u00a0 Shelburne Rd is now bearing the burden of Pine Street traffic.\u00a0 That will improve when we start the rotary project and remove all the pavement on Shelburne Rd as well.\u00a0 Eventually we will force all Burlington traffic to South Burlington streets and finally resolve the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Historians often reminisce about the days when Burlington Streets were merely cow paths and dirt roads.\u00a0 The President of Preservation Burlington, gave kudos to Burlington\u2019s backward thinking policy noting \u201cPine Street hasn\u2019t looked this good since 1919 when the first pavement was laid and it all went to hell in a hand basket after that.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad Burlington is reverting back to dirt roads before the fine craft of crowning a dirt road in mud season was lost for good.\u201d<\/p>\n
But there is at least one person in the City who does not see \u201cTake Back Our Streets\u201d policy as progress.\u00a0 Mayor Weinberger denounced the council action at the time of adoption warning Councilors \u201cby reverting to dirt roads the City will lose all the revenue that currently comes from towing cars during spring street sweeping events and we will be unable to meet our budget needs. \u201c\u00a0 He was further overheard on a hot mic saying \u201cdammit we\u2019ll just tow all the cars anyway.\u00a0 We\u2019ll get more money from just randomly turning on the no parking lights when residents least expect it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"