WMG Volume 5 • Issue 22 December 5, 2018
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Businesses Have Mixed Feelings Over Wilton Drive Project Parking continues to be a source of frustration for some
By Sallie James
Photo via the Wilton Manors Police Department, Facebook.
The much-anticipated project to narrow Matt LaMariana gets annoyed every time he looks out the window of his Northeast Fourth Avenue/Wilton Drive business at 2365 Wilton Manors Drive from Sunrise Boulevard to Northeast 26th and sees the congestion caused by Street to two-lanes began in August. The Florida Department of construction crews. The section of Wilton Manors Drive Transportation project that will include outside Boomerangs thrift store is in 7-foot-wide bicycle lanes is progressing the midst of a road narrowing project, north to downtown Wilton Manors. The project will widen aimed at slowing traffic sidewalks, upgrade and making the area more “If people pedestrian signals and pedestrian-friendly. modify pedestrian curb LaMariana said the are going to ramps to meet ADA timing couldn’t be worse. avoid Wilton requirements, upgrade “I would love to know roadway and pedestrian the rocket scientist who Drive because lighting, install new decided this project needed of traffic and drainage structures and to be done at the height upgrade the existing of tourist and holiday construction, drainage system. season,” LaMariana said. that doesn’t do LaMariana is Someone from the Wilton any good.” concerned because Manors Improvement parking downtown is District recently contacted - Matt LaMariana already at a premium, him about promoting his Owner of boomerangs Thrift Store and the ongoing business on their website. construction eliminates But as far as LaMariana is some of the on-street parking as it concerned, it’s a moot point. “It’s a little too late to be asking for my progresses. He already has to chase after motorists input to promote my business that they have already started hurting. If people who park their cars in his business lot and are going to avoid Wilton Drive because leave for other businesses. “No parking forces me to become the of traffic and construction, that doesn’t parking Nazi. I spend far too much my time do any good,” he said.
worrying about people parking here and wandering off on the weekend,” LaMariana said. “There is nothing more frustrating than seeing the parking lot full and have someone drive by because there is nowhere to park.” His frustration has reached a boiling point: he is planning to move his business out of the city in the near future because of parking issues and high rent. Across the street at Gallery XO, co-owner Maciel Cantiero is aware of the coming construction but isn’t overly worried.
He’s heard the construction will last two to three weeks when it reaches his business at 2376 Wilton Drive and figures his customers will be able to park somewhere reasonably close. He isn’t worried that customers may have to walk a few blocks to get to his business. He is worried though that the parking meters they are required to feed will expire and they will get ticketed. Continued on page 4
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