BUTTE – Some people in Butte believe there are many good reasons to make Uptown more friendly to pedestrians.
“It’s an economic driver to have walkability, it’s a health reason to have walkability, and it just makes a community a place you want to spend time and money,” said Cassie Wick, co-owner of 5518 Designs.
Many business owners support plans to make this alley in Uptown a pedestrian-friendly location and add parklets to give people a place to rest and socialize.
“Uptown Butte is kind of our walking district and it is a spot where a lot of people like to do several things: shop, stop and grab something to eat, maybe have drink,” said Todd Hoar of Silver Bow Developmental Disabilities Council.
The group is even considering putting in a temporary roundabout at one of the Uptown intersections this summer for a few days to demonstrate how this will help the flow of traffic in Uptown.
“To get people familiar and kind of lessen some of the fear that surrounds change and surrounds this new concept of driving,” said Wick.
The goal is that these changes will create a safe and inviting atmosphere for Uptown, so in the end, people will know that Uptown is open for business.
“I mean, my store has been incredibly lucky because I’ve had several people say ‘I didn’t know this was here,’ and then walk in and be like, ‘Oh, I was walking by,’ and that’s the best thing, because you didn’t know this was here but you walked by and now you’re here and you’re buying things,” said Wick.
