Kelvin Kindahl: Cites need for Amtrak station sign on Pleasant Street

When passenger train service returned to Northampton, directional signs were put up all around the city, pointing people toward the train station.

With the recent tour of Pleasant Street improvements (“Walking tour highlights Pleasant Street changes,” Sept. 8), one wonders whether anyone noted the lack of an “Amtrak Northampton” sign at the location where it is perhaps most necessary, at the turn off from Pleasant Street to the station itself.

Amtrak has made one improvement, though, finally changing the address of the stop from 129A Pleasant St. to the much more accurate 170 Pleasant St. When trains resumed stopping here, the address was given as 129A, the address used by the Union Station building for many years. The reason for using an odd street number on the even side of the street is not obvious.

Farther down Pleasant Street, bicycle lanes have been added, which will make riding the street much better. The city is sending a mixed message, though, by putting one of the bike lanes on the sidewalk, after stenciling “no bicycles” signs at the ramps to other downtown sidewalks.

Kelvin Kindahl

Florence