George,

I would like to modify [your] definition of traffic calming on Park St a bit, because I think the goal was not necessarily to divert traffic volume by making Park an inconvenient route. Rather, just slow it down.

Unfortunately, traffic may be slowed, but the drivers not calmed by the experience. In this case it sounds like cyclists and others are also not calmed by the experience. So let's think of ideal traffic calming as one that calms drivers, residents, and pedestrians rather than pitting one against the other.

As a member of the MJA-Locust Ave traffic calming committee, I'm going to try to get my neighbors to think in this more general way and avoid solutions that raise resentments.

Bruce P Dembling, PhD (electronic mail, March 4, 2001).

Editor's Note: I have heard of a variety of reasons given for traffic calming on Park Street, including but certainly not limited to diverting traffic volume. [With the high volume of traffic on Park Street, of course, slowing down traffic - as Bruce suggests - could result in diversion.]

At the same time, I applaud Bruce's conception of traffic calming "as one that calms drivers, residents, and pedestrians rather than pitting one against the other."

Last summer, our family spent some time in Italy, where we encountered a hodgepodge of pedestrians, bicycles, motor scooters, buses, and automobiles quite amiably accomodating one another.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could do the same in Charlottesville.