Letter to the editor — Dec. 22

Downtown Portales needs to be more pedestrian friendly

Last week I almost died.

I went to downtown Portales along the square to see my dentist. I tried to park in front of his office, which requires one to parallel park.

I attempted to do this and a big 14-wheeler truck came speeding by, almost taking off my front fender. I finally got in the space by moving my car back-and-forth, squeezing into the spot.

After carefully looking to see if it were safe to exit by vehicle, I did. Another four or five 14-wheelers came roaring by, spewing up dust and dirt everywhere.

I went in to see the dentist and, when I left his office, had to repeat the process, taking my life into my hands just trying to get into my car.

Downtown Portales is a beautiful area with so much potential. Due to the hard work of many people, it's become a better place to go for entertainment, dining and shopping.

But until it becomes pedestrian friendly, it's never going to succeed.

A truck by-pass is sorely needed around Portales. The trucks and traffic tear up the roads and make crossing the street very dangerous.

Groups like the Roosevelt County Commissions and the mayor and city commissioners, the Chamber of Commerce and the Portales MainStreet Program, along with the citizens of Portales, should be working together toward the goal of making the downtown area safe for pedestrians, bicycles, and this old lady just trying to get to the dentist.

Constance Belcher

Clovis