Letter to the Editor: To the City Council concerning Third Avenue SW

To the Editor:
The City Council may not want to admit this, but Third Avenue SW is a through street! It is as much of a through street as the street going around the golf course. The purpose is to keep trucks, semis and farm equipment from going through downtown. That is what Third Avenue is now!
I was told that the City will keep that type of traffic off Third Avenue when the new street is completed. How? That did not happen when the street was paved in the 1970s and the residents complained then and are still complaining.
The City has not made homeowners remove junk from their yards, repair cracked sidewalks and shovel snow from their sidewalks. Are these ordinances? If so, why are they not enforced? Again, I ask how will the City enforce keeping these types of vehicles off Third Avenue?
I also heard that a semi delivering to a local car dealer needs to go up Third Avenue, as it makes it easier to unload and go to the other local car dealer. If the City allows one semi, truck or farm equipment to go on Third Avenue because of convenience, it will allow all! The semi that goes to the nearby convenience store needs to go into their lot and drive around the back of the building, not turn a block or two sooner driving on our streets. These are professional drivers and know how to get in and out of tight spots.
Why are snow trucks allowed to be on Third Avenue? Is it because it’s a shorter route to dump? Isn’t it the City’s responsibility to take care of our streets and not be concerned about a quicker/easier route for people who bid out these jobs and the City street employees who are paid by tax dollars? They can drive on the highway to the Industrial Park, fairgrounds and park.
If the City has money for sidewalks, finish putting them around the golf course and from Second Street SW to Eleventh Avenue SW. This is where people would run, walk and push strollers.
My suggestion is to keep Third Avenue a “through” street and have the City pay for the street instead of assessing the homeowners. Then the City would not have to try to enforce any changes and it would give all the people who use this street a convenient route from one end of town to the other.
Thank you.
Norman Peterson
Waukon