It was an interesting decision last week regarding the $1.4 million Lake Shore Drive “Complete Streets” project at the Common Council meeting. Before work can begin, the city of Dunkirk had to contribute 20% of funding — or $370,000 that will later be reimbursed.

Surprisingly, Republican Councilman James Stoyle voted with the Democrats Martin Bamonto and to move forward with the effort. For that, he deserves absolute applause. Stoyle for city improvements, not politics.

Dunkirk’s Lake Shore Drive project has been in the works for nearly four years. The proposal became even more concrete before former Development Director Rebecca Wurster left the city to take a job in the county.

In other words, this proposal is far from being new. “The planning and design stage happened approximately two years ago, and we did have public presentations and we didn’t have just one … This was a long process to get to where we are now,” Mayor Wilfred Rosas said on Tuesday. “We are at the final stage. We are going out to bid. The project is going to construction.”

No one can deny the importance of Route 5 to the city of Dunkirk and its future. For it to be more pedestrian and bike friendly, there will be additional traffic — in terms of walkers and sight-seers — to the region in the warmer weather.

We’ve already seen the benefits of the Dunkirk Pier project, which had plenty of opposition. Today, no one can deny the redesign was well worth the investment.

We hope there is just as much success with the Lake Shore Drive initiative. There is so much more for the city to gain, in terms of both residents and future tourists.