A group of about 50 Riverview business owners and residents gathered at The Daily Ration Nov. 9 to discuss possible infrastructure improvements to the area’s business corridor.
The Daily Ration co-owner Matt Skudlarek said that since the restaurant moved into the space formerly occupied by The Farmer’s Daughter, he’s noticed a lot about the surroundings, including when and where traffic and congestion occurs and safety issues concerning pedestrians, which prompted him to host the meeting.
Though the effort to improve infrastructure in the business corridor is being led by area residents and businesses rather than the city, Skudlarek asked city transportation engineer Bert Kuyrkendall to attend the meeting to hear the businesses’ and residents’ concerns, take notes and answer any questions. The changes proposed aren’t massive in scope, said Skudlarek, and mainly involve additional parking and making it easier for people to cross Hixson Pike. Possible parking solutions may include adding on-street parking on Dorchester Road as well as on Hixson Pike in front of Tremont Tavern and The Daily Ration, Skudlarek said during the meeting.
“If you do on-street parking, it’s going to slow the traffic down naturally,” said meeting attendee Chuck Pruett.
A resident pointed out that 75-100 new residences are going in on the north end of Dartmouth, and the resulting additional traffic will all be dumped out where the road meets Hixson Pike next to The Daily Ration.