How We Go Columbia: Life is making itself a home – down on Main Street

Four years ago, the drive down Main Street – day or night – was largely mundane and uneventful, even though it was always clear you still were in the heart of this city. It felt sluggish, though to put it mildly. Parking was too easy find. Assemblies of people also were difficult to find.

This brought to mind a drive down Main Street one evening after dark, probably 12 years ago. It stood out because over the course of the six-block drive there was not a single car to be seen either on Main Street or any of the intersecting side streets. Nobody. Nothing. So, it was bit of a shock when after turning off Main Street and going over to Assembly Street, there suddenly were flashing blue lights on my bumper.

Pulling over, the city policeman told me I had run a traffic signal. Disagreeing with him about that, he explained that another car had pulled up beside him and the female driver pointed out my car to him, gesturing to the officer to “get him,” the officer explained.

The officer issued me a warning, thankfully, but if he was right, it meant I had missed not one but two moving vehicles on Main Street that night – when I saw none.

Now the city has new heart. The drive has more pizazz. People are there, walking, riding bikes, selling on the sidewalks, sitting at tables with friends dining. Even on the side streets there are people – jogging, exercising, moving about. Traffic moves slower. But even sitting at the traffic lights is fun. There are cars behind you. Cars in front of you.

And people.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 2:35 PM with the headline "How We Go Columbia: Life is making itself a home – down on Main Street."