Comments on Tuesday’s report about traffic measures being taken in Philipsburg were generally positive. Particularly closing Boardwalk Boulevard to all motor vehicles, which had been the intention from the beginning, got widespread support.
A few persons expressed fear of discouraging visitors to the downtown shopping area especially in the festive period after 18 months of almost no business. The lack of legal parking options was mentioned in that regard.
These are no doubt valid points, but the parking situation also on Front Street and Back Street as well as alleys in between was getting completely out of hand. Bollards placed to keep at least part of the sidewalk car-free were removed after Hurricane Irma because they had supposedly been pedestrian unfriendly.
With tourists and in particular cruise passengers returning in numbers, this issue needed to be tackled. Clear signage will now be used so that offenders have no excuse when their vehicles are towed and/or they receive a hefty fine, tripled for the holiday season.
However, keep in mind that the goal is obviously to provide an effective deterrent rather than hurt anyone financially. Much may depend on how it functions in practice, also regarding deliveries for stores, parents and buses picking up children at several schools in the vicinity, etcetera.
As always, enforcement should be reasonable and pragmatic, based on common sense. Nevertheless, the current lawlessness when it comes to respecting simple rules established in the general interest cannot be allowed to continue.
In the meantime, blocking off the usual section of Front Street to traffic when it’s very busy such as today with six cruise ships in port remains the prudent thing to do. Some even suggest it should stay like that permanently.
