Quote of the Day

The challenge is to meet the demand with limited people. As the town grows, this kind of thing will become more common. Pullman is not the little community it once was.

- Pullman Fire Chief Pat Wilkins, "Pullman fire chief: Simultaneous emergencies take toll on department," Moscow-Pullman Daily News, March 11, 2008

Wilkins says the department needs up to nine more full-time firefighters to meet multiple demands like the November 15 arsons. But he won't get them this year. Wilkins was told by city leaders that "the local economy doesn't support that" at this time.

What will you give up to keep Wal-Mart out?

Pullman City Council Votes to Restrict Parking on Larry Street

Of all my political experiences, this one was probably the most rewarding, since it involved my own neighborhood. 73 people signed the online petition. 12 residents showed up at the council meeting. 3 of us addressed the council. It was grassroots activism at its purest and finest. It's not that "you can't fight city hall." You don't have to fight city hall when you can work together with them.

Pullman is no Vienna, or even Obersnobeurosocialistburg. But for my money, we have the best mayor, best city supervisor, and best city council around.

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

In other business, the council passed a motion to restrict parking on Larry Street's south side and possibly allow parking on a restricted basis, under police direction. A handful of Military Hill residents gathered at the Tuesday meeting to present the council with nearly 80 signatures from an online petition stating their concerns about traffic in the area.

Public works employees recently restriped the street, allowing for wider parking spaces on either side, but neighbors didn't feel the restriping adequately solved the safety problem.

Pullman High School sporting events, such as baseball games, lead to dense traffic and parking issues, which neighbors and police say may lead to serious accidents. The Pullman School District soon will begin constructing a path from the underutilized high school parking lot to the baseball field, allowing for safety and convenience.

Public works Director Mark Workman said the south side of Larry Street could be posted as "no parking" as early as next week.

"Residents' voices shouldn't go unheard"

If you would like to sign the petition referenced in the editorial below from today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News, please click here.

It shouldn't take a tragedy to bring change.

That could be the case in Pullman, however, if the City Council doesn't take appropriate action regarding parking revisions on the section of Larry Street that runs past Pullman High School's baseball field.

Anyone who has attended a Greyhound or American Legion baseball game at the field can attest congestion is a problem. Cars parked on both sides of the street leave little room for traffic flow in either lane, and little or no room for bicyclists and pedestrians.

A group of Military Hill residents took their concerns to the council last month. The council weighed the input and decided to restripe Larry Street. The changes will allow 7.5 feet of parking space on either side of the road and 11-foot lanes for traffic.

That's a start, but it's not enough.

The group has responded by circulating an online petition seeking further changes. The goal is to have the south side of the street designated as a no-parking area.

City and Pullman School District officials are considering other potential ways to mitigate the problem, including building a path from the high school parking lot to the ballfield bleachers to encourage off-street parking.

There's no better encouragement than making some on-street parking illegal.

"I've had close calls where I have to come to a complete and instant stop to avoid hitting people," said Susan Forbes, a Valhalla Street resident who has signed the petition. "It just seems like it's going to be a matter of time before a serious injury or accident occurs."

The concerns of residents alone should be enough to sway the council. As of today, 49 people have signed the petition, most of whom likely live in the area or drive along Larry Street on a regular basis.

They know the situation better than anyone else, and their collective voices shouldn't go unheard.

"Residents concerned about safety on Larry Street"

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News, and yes, Susan Forbes is my wife. I'm very proud of Dr. Forbes!

Military Hill group circulates online petition to City Council

Susan Forbes is extremely cautious when driving down Larry Street in Pullman.

In addition to what she said are hazards because of the curvy street, she also is on high alert when events take place at Pullman High School - especially sporting events at the school's ballfield.

She said densely parked cars on both sides of the street reduce visibility and substantially narrow the street. People exiting their vehicles often swing car doors into the lanes of oncoming traffic, and youngsters pop out from behind cars while trying to cross the street.

"I've had close calls where I have to come to a complete and instant stop to avoid hitting people," she said. "It just seems like it's going to be a matter of time before a serious injury or accident occurs."

Forbes, a Valhalla Street resident in the Paradise Ridge subdivision, is one of several Military Hill residents who are concerned about safety on Larry Street and have started an online petition. Forbes and the group have collected 38 signatures from residents in the neighborhood who are concerned with the city's decision about how to solve the problem.

In an April 17 meeting, the Pullman City Council discussed the concerns of Forbes and her neighbors, who had sent in letters hoping to initiate parking changes on Larry Street. The council decided to have Larry Street restriped, which will accommodate 7.5 feet of parking on each side as well as two 11-foot lanes for traffic.

"It doesn't seem like these safety issues are being addressed," Forbes said, noting the goal is to present the petition to the council at a future meeting. "We're trying to have a more formal voice and having our concerns known."

City Supervisor John Sherman encourages the group to present the petition to the City Council.

"We do welcome citizen input," he said. "(The council does) consider all forms of public input."

Forbes said she and the group ultimately would like to see the south side of Larry Street become a no-parking zone. Parking is available at the high school, although she believes people park on Larry Street for the convenience.

"The most dangerous aspect ... is for those individuals who park on the south side," she said. "It's just this idea that the pedestrians have to pass those two lanes. That's a real issue."

Sherman said in addition to restriping the street, city and Pullman School District officials are discussing building a path from the high school parking lot to the ballfield bleachers to encourage off-street parking.

"That's an improvement we're mutually discussing at this point," he said. "If people don't have a good alternative to parking, it's understandable that they're parking on the street. But a preferred alternative is to always provide off-street parking."

Sherman said the city is concerned with safety on Larry Street and noted that the ballfield path could be constructed as soon as this summer.

"It is an issue, the congestion there," Sherman said. "It's a pedestrian safety issue."

Still, the solution to the issue - for now - is the restriping project.

"That's what the council decided to do," he said. "(The issue) did go to the City Council for their direction, and that's the direction they provided."

The online petition to the city regarding Larry Street can be viewed at www.petitiononline.com/snwls/petition.html.

Safer NW Larry Street

This is a personal issue for me, as I live in the Paradise Ridge subdivision. This issue has been ignored for too long.

To: Pullman City Council

On April 17, 2007, the Pullman City Council decided to have NW Larry Street in the vicinity of Pullman High School restriped, which will accommodate 7.5 feet of parking on each side as well as two 11-foot lanes for traffic.

We feel that this action by the council does not adequately address the serious safety issue that has gone on for many years. During baseball and football season, dozens of cars park on both sides of NW Larry Street. The width of the road, combined with the volume of traffic traveling to and from the Paradise Ridge subdivision, make it highly dangerous for pedestrians to cross and create a hazard to parked vehicles. We feel it is only a matter of time until there is a serious, or even fatal, accident.

Therefore, we respectfully request that the Pullman City Council designate the south side of NW Larry Street adjacent to the high school (the side across the street from the baseball and football fields) a "No Parking" zone.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

If you would like to add your signature to this petition (Pullman residents only), please click here. Please let your friends and neighbors know. The more signatures gathered, the more weight it will have with the council.