Bank Street is a critical connection for individuals traveling by bike for work, school, recreation, or otherwise. Keeping the physical barriers on this street places a disproportionate burden on people who do not have access to a private vehicle for travel and makes it unnecessarily difficult and dangerous to move between the Franklin Street bike lanes and active transportation infrastructure to the east, including the Virginia Capital Trail.

It is unfortunate that this public open space that was designed and intended for the People of the Commonwealth of Virginia may be closed to that very body for over a third of every day. However, if this is the case, Bank Street should be left open— and made more accessible— so that vulnerable road users are not forced to take a dangerous detour to Broad Street or Main Street (or Cary Street to avoid riding on sidewalks) at the darkest part of the day. This goes beyond a transportation issue. This is about the equity, health, and safety of people on bikes. People who are already deprived of basic support infrastructure and must navigate our streets along with increasingly distracted motorists operating increasingly larger vehicles.

Please make Bank Street accessible for our local and regional community. And please reconsider the closure of Capital Square to people looking for a safe route to get to work, home, school, or shops outside of the typical 8–5 business day model.