ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Mayor, along with city leaders, are still hoping to turn Canton Street into a more pedestrian-friendly area by closing down the street to vehicle traffic.
On Tuesday, leaders presented a slideshow presentation to offer some clarity for what they're proposing as it relates to parking and public safety for the Canton Street closure. The discussion got heated at several points with some residents calling the mayor "dirty" and others talking over one another.
For weeks now, a small group of residents and business owners have been pushing back against the closure– saying that it would negatively impact parking, public safety and attract unruly patrons.
Leaders said while they will be taking away some spots along Canton Street, they are clearing a walking trail from City Hall to Canton Street to allow customers to park there. They are also installing a new handicap-accessible parking lot.
Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said this whole plan came about to address safety concerns for customers around the busy road.
“I’m coming to you saying, 'Can we solve this together? It doesn’t have to be in a week or two weeks. I’m asking for collaboration,'" said Mayor Wilson.
Co-owner of Rock N Taco, John Michael Brunetti said while he believes there are still some logistics that need to be worked out, he thinks the proposal could be very good for the area.
“I think if we can put a group together and work together, we can have an actual plan that we can use to bring more people to Roswell," added Brunetti.
The mayor said nothing will be voted on until they have a proposal that appeases everyone.