In his alarmist letter to the editor, Steven Baker laments the closure of Oak Street and East Eighth Avenue downtown during the Lane County Farmers Market. Despite the letter’s (overly dramatic) title, the closure of these streets benefited more than just a few rollerbladers. In fact, practically everyone would stand to benefit from a more permanent closure of these streets during market hours.

Currently, two busy streets cut directly through, dividing the markets into four quadrants separated by fast-moving vehicles. This produces a serious safety hazard to shoppers and vendors alike. Vendors must contend with traffic as they’re loading and unloading. Pedestrians must contend with traffic any time they want to explore a different part of the market, or even any time they want to check out a booth that sits close to the street.

The dangers of this were no clearer than when, a few years ago, a car traveling down Eighth Avenue slammed into a parked truck, which caused the truck to move forward and knock a little girl down, requiring an ambulance to be called. Luckily, the injuries were minor and the girl was later observed happily walking through the market. Still, the event shook up onlookers (including myself). I worry every time I witness children playing close to the street. The current design favors cars over every other mode of transport, and the more motorized vehicles are prioritized, the more traffic deaths increase.

We should not have to worry about our safety while doing our weekly shopping. Children should be able to play, free from the dangers of heavy traffic. The rest of us deserve to shop in peace, without the noise or distraction of fast-moving vehicles. Naturally, vendors should still be able to load and unload their vehicles there, but that should be the only exception. There are already enough alternative streets surrounding the market that one doesn’t have to significantly alter their route to get where they’re going.

Removing traffic would make this square more lively. One can also look to the University of Oregon campus, which is largely vehicle-free, allowing only authorized vehicles. There, too, one sees the vibrancy of people moving about without fear of being run over should their attention lapse.

The recent discussion around making our streets safer for bicyclists and pedestrians is encouraging. Let’s extend that discussion toward improving safety at the Lane County Farmers Market, instead of prioritizing the convenience of drivers at the expense of everyone else’s safety.

Erica Lyon
Eugene