Eighth Street Bridges Fiddle While Port Angeles Burns
The 8th Street bridges were originally scheduled to be completed in November 2008. Then the date got moved back three months to February 2nd, 2009. That’s this coming Monday, and the bridges won’t be completed. Nobody knows how soon the bridges will be ready.
Meanwhile, nearby business owners are suffering more than ever from the isolation caused by this project. Barb Townsend, supervisor at St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, said: “We’re just barely hanging on to staying open.”
Steve Bridges, owner of three businesses between the two bridges, said: “I'm running up against the wall.” He said his three business are “done for” if the bridges aren’t open by March. “I would hate to get this far, this close, and be forced into saying that I can't make it anymore.”
He estimated that about 500 vehicles go past his stores every day. Before the bridge repair project started in June 2007, that number was closer to 12,000 vehicles every day.
Weather has caused some of the delays, and the uncertainty of when the bridges will be open. Weather. You mean it might rain? In the Pacific Northwest, in the winter? Say it isn’t so.
Meanwhile, nearby business owners are suffering more than ever from the isolation caused by this project. Barb Townsend, supervisor at St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, said: “We’re just barely hanging on to staying open.”
Steve Bridges, owner of three businesses between the two bridges, said: “I'm running up against the wall.” He said his three business are “done for” if the bridges aren’t open by March. “I would hate to get this far, this close, and be forced into saying that I can't make it anymore.”
He estimated that about 500 vehicles go past his stores every day. Before the bridge repair project started in June 2007, that number was closer to 12,000 vehicles every day.
Weather has caused some of the delays, and the uncertainty of when the bridges will be open. Weather. You mean it might rain? In the Pacific Northwest, in the winter? Say it isn’t so.
Labels: Barb Townsend St. Vincent De Paul, Port Angeles Eighth Street Bridges, Steve Bridges
posted by Tom Harper at 8:15 PM
21 Comments:
Meanwhile, nearby business owners are suffering more than ever from the isolation caused by this project.
Isolation from what? I've gone to those areas many times while the bridges were out of service.
I swear, I'm surrounded by fucking spoiled idiots.
"isolation from what?"
12,000 vehicles used to drive by somebody's business every day, now it's 500. That means fewer customers, right? A lot fewer. For the past year and a half.
Does that answer your question? It's not rocket science.
BBC, it doesn't matter whether people are behaving like "spoiled idiots" or not -- if they're not coming to these businesses, then the businesses can't survive. And that's really unfair.
The Downtown businesses are in this same predicament: they were hanging on while the sidewalks were constructed, and while Gateway was
"nearing completion" (what a joke). Then the economy tanked, and there's STILL Gateway construction (when they get around to figuring out how to fix the mess). Again, unfair.
It almost seems like the powers that be in Port Angeles WANT the businesses to fail -- do they have a master plan that doesn't include any of the current retailers? Hmmm...
Oh crikey, BBC...you are such an old cranky fart who cares only for yourself.
BBC said: "I swear, I'm surrounded by fucking spoiled idiots."
You mean you've been cloned, Billy?
So 12 thousand vehicles drive by your business everyday, a figure I find hard to swallow in this town in the first place unless it's 101 or Lincoln.
I would need someone to prove to me that 12 thousand vehicles use eight street everyday.
But that is beside the point, I and my friends that like to do a little business or visit friends there, still do.
I don't pull into a business just because it is there.
Barb Townsend, supervisor at St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, said: “We’re just barely hanging on to staying open.”
They are on the east side of both bridges, where the majority of the population is. Are you telling me that the people on the west side don't know how to get to them?
Tell them to call me and I will give them directions. I haven't heard of Goodwill bitching and they are just a few blocks away from them.
People that do thrift stores do thrift stores, period.
With all due respect I will end with, IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!!!
Or the fact that Vincent De Paul is doing something wrong because they are always whining that things are not going well for them.
But hey, they have great prices so bet your lazy butts over there and support them even if you have to drive a bit out of the way if you live west of them.
You're not shitting me any, you are in town for other things anyway.
I swear, I'm surrounded by fuckin' idiots. Just like it says on my coffee cup.
Eight street is just an easy way for people to get from point A to point B.
Nothing more, nothing less, other than the cost to the taxpayers that have to pay for those that do use it.
We should have given up the bridges for a new animal shelter.
Barb Townsend, supervisor at St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, said: “We’re just barely hanging on to staying open.”
Most can get to them pretty easily. I think it's more the fact the De Paul Thrift Store, does not have very many good items to look at. and it is quite small, compared to Goodwill. That's why they are more failing, I can understand the bridges being a small part of it too, but that's that's not the whole problem here.
The burger place, Laundry and tanning. I can understand that they are having hard times with the closure of the bridges. Though people could still get to them, if they really wanted to take the time. Sad.
Barb Townsend, supervisor at St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, said: “We’re just barely hanging on to staying open.”
I thinks this also has to do with the fact that De Paul Thrift Store does not have as many quality items to look at through there store, and it's a lot smaller. People would rather look through the Goodwill. I can understand them having a small problem with the bridges out, but it's only small. I don't feel they have ever done Great just Okay enough to stay open.
As for the burger joint, laundry, and tanning place. I can see where they are having some trouble with the bridges out. People can still get to them, if they really wanted to and would take the time.
billy, billy, billy...I know WHY you call yourself by a childhood moniker (Instead of the more common adult Bill or William). You are a child in a wrinkled up skin suit.
8th street is a main traffic corridor to get east/west in this town. The two alternative ways around are often very clogged with traffic, and/or a pain. They were not designed to take the increased traffic.
Businesses in this town are hampered by excessively high rents (compared to the potential customers passing by their doors). The rents are -- often -- about 1/2 as much as those in downtown Seattle, with 1/100th the foot traffic and 1/10000th the vehicle traffic. Add to that our insane city planning department who schedules all the projects at once, and adds on street restriping, resurfacing, lazy flaggers (remember the lengthy delays downtown when the gateway had cement trucks flitting about?) and a community that was designed around some pretty difficult terrain, with little vision.
(i.e. you cannot get out of town if 101 is closed, there is NO ALTERNATE ROUTE. If 1st street is closed due to an accident -- near the RiteAid/Star Video/Joannes mall, you are stuck...for the duration)
People avoid traffic in this town. If the bridges are closed, they head to Sequim, or they keep going to Silverdale, or they just go home.
Billy, you must be looking in the mirror when you say "fucking spoiled idiot".
NOT BBC..... I call myself Billy in posts and comments because that is what is on my birth certificate, you moron.
Most people just call me Bill though. But I've been called asshole and idiot by better people than the likes of you.
If I want your opinion about me I'll ask for it, and I haven't. :-)
I don't see what the big deal is about this blog. It's just link-backs to PDSnooze online articles or the hardcopy daily ediition with more or less open comments.
It's like reading the PDSnooze's "Rants and Raves" vaguely amusing but ultimateely forgettable.
Big deal!
So What? said...I don't see what the big deal is about this blog. It's just link-backs to PDSnooze online articles or the hardcopy daily ediition with more or less open comments.
Well my friend, I guess that we don't see what the big deal about you is either.
It's just link-backs to PDSnooze
Um, okay, so stop reading and take a fucking nap, ha ha ha.
Or learn how to think instead of letting others brainwash you. :-)
It's like reading the PDSnooze's "Rants and Raves" vaguely amusing but ultimateely forgettable.
Jesus fucking christ. We are all busy and make mistakes, but would you please at least make an attempt at better spelling?
Or do you have spell check turned off? As for rants and raves in the paper, I'm okay with that for reasons I won't try to explain to an idiot.
They of course won't publish my letters to the editor since I told that christian moron editor that he was a fucking idiot.
By the way, So What. It is not exactly open comments in this blog, they are under moderation.
If you had run that fact through your bullshit filters properly you would understand that.
If you want open comments go to my blogs where comments are not moderated, not that I give a shit if you do or not. :-)
Hey, Tom ... I dare you to allow this comment to be posted since you have an obvious pro-Billy bias.
Billy, you need to double up on the meds, dude, since they clearly are not working. It's a simple spelling mistake. There's no need to go off on the person in the way you did.
Tom, I know you're attempting to be a community booster, and while this blog started off with good intentions, it has quickly deteriorated into childish name calling and other nonsense. Since Billy's arrival, the level of discourse has deteriorated even further.
Billy's tourettes-like need to continually comment and comment on his comments, his profanity and name calling has gone on too long. Billy contributes nothing to this blog except to fulfill his own need to see his foul-mouthed verbage online and to get a rise out of other people.
A lot of downtown business owners and community figures used to read this blog. Now they don't and it's largely because of Billy.
You exhibit a pro-Billy bias, Tom, even though Billy has claimed you don't allow every post of his. Billy is allowed to call people idiots and morons (and worse), yet you delete most negative comments about Billy and his nonsense.
Billy is a troll, plain and simple. He'd have been kicked off any other board a long time ago (and he's probably been kicked off many, many boards). The fact that you allow Billy continue on with foul-mouthed mud slinging says a lot about your character, Tom, and it doesn't say anything good.
Go ahead ... allow this comment to be posted. I dare you!
That 12,000 seems high to me too. How many live in PA? 19,000?
But I see his point. Times are tough enough with construction delays on a major thoroughfare that knocks traffic way way down. Poor guy. Hope he can hold on, I love the grill. Mmmmm.
A "pro-Billy bias?" LOL.
I'm not "pro" or "con" anybody who comments here. I actually delete quite a few comments here. I'm trying to find the balance between deleting too many comments and letting the forum go off the deep end with too many wacky comments.
This blog (like most blogs) has always had a few trolls. BBC isn't the first and probably won't be the last. If the level of discourse here is too low or too banal for you, you can always fix that yourself by leaving a constructive comment.
The purpose of this blog was to create a forum where people could vent about local issues. Whether people comment or not, or if people litter it with a bunch of inane comments -- the forum is here. Take it or leave it.
At least one very self-important (and totally useless) downtown organization has been very troubled by this blog since the day I created it (October 2006). That fact alone tells me I'm doing something right.
So you're anti-PADA, Tom? Don't be so quick to pat yourself on the back or act like you've started a trend.
The PADA's been a problem ever since it was created (and abandoned) years before you ever came up here.
Good luck with B-Boy!
Thanks for leaving all the posts in, Tom. If nothing else, it's great stress-relieving humor with all the bad news lately!
Billy, we just gotta love a guy who will post some of the stuff you do and willing to put your name and face to it! You are one courageous dude! I'll have to meet you at the Cornerhouse one day and shake your hand!
And Anonymous, any downtown merchant or organization that is so frickin pansy-assed and blind to what is "art" to allow ugly-assed rusting hulks of metal to litter their sidewalks deserves NO respect or our business. THATS why I refuse to shop downtown. I refuse to go down there and get myself really stressed and pissed-off so much I could hook my truck to them and yank 'em out of the sidewalk! I was tempted one day, so I'll just shop in Sequim, Wal Mart or Silverdale so I'll stay outa trouble!
Liz,
why don't you just move to Silverdale? you shouldn't even be in this town if you aren't willing to support the local businesses.
Self centered, egocentric and ignorant is the only way to describe your attitude. Without local businesses, do you really think there would BE a town here?
Improve the quality of our community....and rethink your childish attitude.
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