I have followed the I-98 issue a bit more closely of late due to my proximity to the debate as one serving on the North Country Regional Economic Council. I think this letter sums it up.
Lapel pins, bumper sticker and pep rallies for a road that will never be built and indeed doesn't seem to exist in any real sense is the stuff of local pols and others seeking the panacea for economic malaise.
Even in St. Lawrence County, there is not universal support for continued lobbying. There is a rival group committed to the more modest but achievable goal of upgrading the Route 11 corridor. There are also many who realize the routing and impact on the environment would be horribly contentious issues even if there was six, eight or whatever number of BILLIONS of dollars to build the eighth wonder of the World.
Endorsing such projects is pro forma for lawmakers. However, not all electeds have reflexively said yes, although the pressure to do so from some quarters in intense. Our City Council has not and privately most involved with the Regional Council say the same.
There is no panacea or silver bullet for real or perceived economic woes, but prudence says focusing on the achievable makes more sense than just donning a lapel pin for your next trip to a chamber dinner or to the labor council meeting.
Watertown Daily Times Rooftop highway is legislators’ daydream
6 comments:
more like a wet dream...
As gasoline gets to $5.00 a gallon and beyond those who advocate such foolishness will be as disillusioned as the ones whose economic scheme consists of luring ever increasing numbers of “tourists” to the area so as to lighten their pocketbooks.
I can't determine who is supporting this crazy idea. Is it the northern politicos to create jobs in thier districts? Or is there something/someone else that stands to gain from this fantasy? I can't find anyone that will say to me that "it" (the highway) would create an economic windfall for anyone. What to hell is going on here? Forget about it and let's move forward with keeping our heads above water.
I don't know if this rooftop highway is a good idea or not but I am sure a lot of the current interstate system looked like a waste of money back when it was proposed. And now the interstate system is a big reason that we are the biggest economy in the world.
Doesn't matter whether the rooftop highway is a good idea or not. Or whether it's affordable. The environmentalists won't want it built. You couldn't build the interstate highway system now either. So forget about it. Do you know how many deer and foxes and turtles and snakes live between here and Plattsburg? No road will ever be built.
Yeah, the Great and Annointed One just put off that pipeline we needed until after next year's election. That was to suck up to the environmentalists. They will build it after the vote, but by then we will be getting gas priced up the butt. But I don't care, I've got a government job. Dumbasses.
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