I don’t know the story with these new flex posts on Main Street near Asylum Street, but I have a guess.

Since time immemorial (probably) drivers have ignored the “No Parking” signs here to run into the bank for “just a minute” because of course their convenience has always counted more than anyone else’s safety.

From the November 2023 Google Street record of sins:

Nevermind that the right lane should be a bus-only lane or a bike lane, the issue this inconsiderate vehicle beaching has created is obstructing the view of pedestrians trying to cross the street.

My guess is that rather than pay someone at the Hartford Parking Authority to bounce between this spot and the beginning of Asylum Street all day long issuing tickets, it made far more sense to block off the area.

There is the question now of why the problem area of Asylum Street wasn’t also managed with flex posts. Maybe that’s next. If you’ve ever taken a bus that turns onto Asylum from Main Street, you’ve likely experienced — more than once or twice — delays because the bus driver can’t turn when someone has double-parked, or parked illegally in another way, because they wanted to frequent the convenience store for “just for a minute.”

There’s plenty Hartford doesn’t get right, but it is making steady progress when it comes to preventing and reducing traffic violence.

Climate Possibilities is a series about climate mitigation, along with resilience, resistance, and restoration. It’s about human habitat preservation. It’s about loving nature and planet Earth, and demanding the kind of change that gives future generations the opportunity for vibrant lives. Doomers will be eaten alive, figuratively. All photographs are taken in Hartford, Connecticut unless stated otherwise.