THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603010183
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
The brouhaha over traffic in Waterview shows no signs of abating even with the city's proposal of a compromise solution. But, at some point, each faction has to cede a little to give proposed plans a chance.
For obvious reasons, the city cannot cut off all traffic in any neighborhood. Nor can it hope to satisfy every individual whim of all those who have definite opinions on any issue.
Yet, the people who have strong feelings about how traffic should travel - or not travel - through Waterview seem unable to understand that compromise is the only way to deal with the situation.
City employees have moved deliberately and carefully to document traffic patterns and to offer solutions. It appears that nobody's politics influenced the proposal made last Monday. Still, the citizens are in an uproar and many are unwilling to concede that a compromise of any kind could work.
The situation has set neighbor against neighbor, community against community, and for many people has escalated into an all-consuming emotional issue.
The residents of Waterview who want to close off the neighborhood must calm down and look rationally at the fact that all traffic cannot cease on any public street.
At the same time, residents who don't want any change in the neighborhood must try to understand the position of those who live on busy streets and feel threatened by the traffic. Making a few extra stops at four-way stop signs and driving a little slower is not going to make that much difference in their lives and it could make a lot of difference to those who live on the busiest streets.
Everybody needs to give a little if Waterview and its neighbors are going to get past this issue and get on to keeping the neighborhood the wonderful place it is. by CNB