Town of Carrboro Admits Mistake- Builds another Brick Wall!

After nearly a century of hoping that they had made the right decision, the Town of Carrborro has finally decided to admit defeat and discontinue the "open neighborhood" program.

The Open Neighborhood policy that was based on the pre-automobiles don't come before humans mentality has finally been shut down. Since the horses carried Carrboro residents through the town, there has been a belief that all neighborhoods should be connected so that a real feeling of community is developed between the residents. It may have worked in the old days, but in the 21st Century it is recognized as a dismal failure as nothing more than a wedge issue that builds walls between the residents of the community and the car drivers using the road as a shortcut.

"If anyone thinks this policy has brought the community together, they're nuts!", gasped one resident as the fumes from a sputtering Volkswagen Diesel chugging through the neighborhood completely surrounded him. "The only thing these open roads have done is encouraged high speed car flights on James Street and High Street. The day the streets are closed to through traffic is the day I'll give the mayor a great big wet kiss on the lips."

James Street officially claims CLOSED Neighborhood Status If this doesn't stop traffic...Nothing Will!

Well, Mr. Mayor, you may want to keep a bottle of hydrogen Peroxide in your pocket because a monumental decision has been made. The James Street Throughway has now been closed as the Weaver Street inspired brick wall has been completed. No cars can pass through, only pedestrians and bike riders, which is the way it should be.

Part of the reason the policy failed was that no one knew exactly what the policy was supposed to accomplish. Some town officials thought it would foster neighbors walking through neighborhoods and meeting with other neighbors while others thought it would ease the traffic on the main thoroughfares. The truth is that it did little to ease congestion on the main streets and in fact did little to encourage neighbors to walk and ride bicycles since they were afraid that they'd get run over by the friendly neighborhood race cars frantically trying to save time by taking the shortcut. On top of that, it actually created more of a traffic problem as the neighbors who would ordinarily walk through the neighborhoods, now drive, as a matter of self-defense.

Some drivers have complained that the large wall is a safety hazard to speeding cars, but large words warning the drivers of the impending wall should give them plenty of time to come to a stop before smashing into the wall. The High Street Wall will be complete shortly.

The Carroboro News applauds the Carrboro Town Government for making this bold and progressive move that makes our children safer.