Saturday’s special Sausalito City Council meeting was a reminder that local government still works at a time when our nation sees many of its once-hallowed institutions collapsing. The issue was whether the most iconic stretch of Sausalito’s signature thoroughfare, Bridgeway, in an attempt to make the street safer for cyclists and pedestrians, be reconfigured.

Between Princess Street near the Ferry Terminal and where Bridgeway ends and traffic heads toward the Golden Gate, the street has a 10-foot- wide paved median. It was added in 1968 to provide an open way for fire, police and ambulances to link downtown with Old Town. In this part of town, other than Bridgeway, there are no realistic alternatives between the two neighborhoods. It was a good idea then. It is a good idea now.

In recent years, the concept was muddled by allowing delivery trucks to park in the emergency lane and permitting its use as a vehicle turning lane. When vehicles block the emergency lane even for a short time, its 24/7 utility is diminished as parked delivery trucks create a roadblock.

At the recommendation of Sausalito’s Pedestrian and Bike Safety Commission, a $504,000 grant was applied for and obtained to remove the median, add bike lanes and three crosswalks. The issue before the five-member city council was whether to accept the grant or reject it and scuttle the idea of removing the median zone.

This stirred up a hornet’s nest of opposition to the reconfiguration scheme. The council chamber was standing-room only. I ended up sitting on the floor next to the last row of seats taking notes.

Since I retired years ago as a Mill Valley council member, I have attended council, school board and special purpose district meetings all over Marin in my role as an opinion columnist. I know a well-run meeting when I see one. The Sausalito session was conducted in a textbook manner by Mayor Joan Cox. Questions from the council were to the point and the audience was always respectful despite their evident passions.

The debate over Bridgeway’s potential reconfiguration was a question of priorities. Alternative one: enhance mobility by making Bridgeway safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Alternative two: guaranteeing public safety by facilitating safe and speedy passage for emergency vehicles.

Councilmember Ian Sobieski asked the meeting’s key question to the consultants, Police Chief Stacie Gregory and Southern Marin Fire District Chief Chris Tubbs. “If the median lane remains essentially as it is today, what can the city do to make it work better?” The point was that the status quo doesn’t operate as well as it could.

The reality is that a 40-foot-wide Bridgeway isn’t broad enough to do all that’s wanted.

My conclusion is that the top priority should be emergency access. Ultimately, the council’s majority agreed to retain the emergency vehicle access lane. If public safety is the goal, delivery-truck parking and auto turning should be banned from the emergency lane, as was the original practice.

Do it with clearly understandable signage and striping. Create loading zones with yellow-painted curbs on the land side of the street. Add crosswalks controlled by pedestrian-activated LED warning lights. To enhance bike safety, lower the speed limit by 5 mph.

Ideally, the city would find a spot for new off-street parking. That’ll compensate for parking spaces lost to new yellow delivery zones while aiding mom-and-pop-owned retail shops and eateries that line Bridgeway.

At the end of the day, the council decided to reject the grant and retain the emergency lane. At least three Sausalito council members favored further consideration of returning the center emergency lane to its original public safety purpose.

It’s proof that at the local level of government, sticking to the basics, setting proper priorities, collaborating with the broader community — combined with a bit of common sense and restraint — is the way to achieve long-term municipal success.

Columnist Dick Spotswood of Mill Valley writes on local issues Sundays and Wednesdays. Email him at spotswood@comcast.net.