To the Editor:
As an Old Town resident with travel experience in Europe, I agree with the comment that the idea of vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians all sharing space hasn't worked in Europe and is fading out to near nonexistence. On the other hand, it is widely prevalent and successful there to have historic old town centers closed to all motor traffic except for residents and emergency vehicles, with deliveries at designated hours, not busy Friday afternoons. Parking is available at the periphery.
European countries generally enjoy better public transportation than we do, but it is not unusual for there to be little or no transport in historic centers, thus addressing another modern problem: a sedentary population. Let's look to Europe, but let's borrow only their successes.
By the way, they still have not solved the issue of dangerous bicyclists on the sidewalks, so there's an opportunity for us to lead the way on that.
Janine Harris
Alexandria