Reclaiming Clay

Map link for viewing Clay Street area
http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=51+Clay+St,+Annapolis,+MD+21401,+USA&sll=38.980613,-76.498082&sspn=0.007039,0.014098&ie=UTF8&ll=38.980646,-76.497481&spn=0.007039,0.014098&z=16&om=1

Last night was very interesting. There were several proposals for changing the traffic patterns that for the most part all circled on creating a "choke point", in the words of Lt. Della from the Annapolis Police Department, by decreasing the amount of ways in and out of the Clay Street blocks or the 4th Ward.

To give you some background I have included a link (i also tried to input a physical map but had no luck, please add comments at bottom and help me out with this) to a map above that shows the greater Clay Street area. At present there are 3 ways in to Clay Street (from both sides of Clay on either side and Washington St) and 4 ways out (Northwest St, Clay both ways, and Washington St), by car. If you take a look at the bottom right of the map you will see Northwest Street. This is the street that was pretty much at the center of attention last night. All the proposals included changing the current flow as an exit only to an entrance only.

The proposal that gained the most traction was the closing of the Clay Street entrance and exit on the eastside. Reference the map again and you will see the intersection of Clay and Washington. There would be an extension of the sidewalk there, trees planted, etc and a barrier created, this coupled with the the change in the flow of traffic on Northwest would serve to eliminate the exit on Northwest, the exit on Clay, and create trouble for the buyer and supplier of the cheif marketable product back on Clay Street.

The entrance/exit that is in discussion is already closed some hours because of the parking garage that sits just east of the Clay/Washington intersection. The police department believes that with this concept, which has already been approved by both the fire department and the police department, would reduce crime in the neighborhood by at minimum 5%. I don't expect you to be knocked from your chair but, as was the theme of the evening, its a step in the right direction.

The other proposal which gained zero traction and I think may have been a dummy proposal (get into more on that in a minute), was again the changing of the traffic on Northwest St and the closing of Washington Street at the West Street entrance with a similar barrier to the previous proposal (trees, sidewalk, etc). This proposal was immediately shot down, most vocally by myself, I think that was the desired effect intended to sway more towards the other option.

A third option was, do nothing. However, doing nothing was viewed as insanity. Insanity by definition is the repeating of the same behavior and expecting a different result, there were no insane people at the meeting last night.

There was much debate about what needs to be done on Clay Street and at times we strayed from the original intent of the meeting which was to focus on the changing of traffic patterns. Many members from the community weighed on other ideas like increased foot patrols, a substation placed at the Masonic Temple on Clay, and setting up a table on the corner of Pleasant and Clay. All these while good ideas, only served to distract from what was the focus. This changing of the traffic pattern is to be viewed as ONE STEP towards change. Not the end all, be all but, one step.

Speaking of steps, last night was one in a series that will get to the changing of the patterns. More than likely there will be a meeting in the next few weeks to have a vote to make the change. It will be well advertised, with an ad in the paper, and flyers dispersed in the community. (Maybe this time without the guards?) This could move very quickly.

Another benefit of the meeting last night was that I met quite a few new people from the neighborhood that I hadn't met yet. Some that had lived in the area for 80 years! This is a neighborhood with a tremendous sense of history. I am going to look to be including much about the history with pictures and video as the site develops.