Do We Really Need Another Road?
Riverwoods photos are here.
In my previous post, I failed to mention why I believe the new road through Riverwoods Natural Area is unneeded.
Germantown and state officials have statistics that show there’s too much traffic on Farmington Blvd. I agree.
Where we disagree is on the solution to the traffic problem. The guvment wants to reroute the traffic to the north side of the city, through Riverwoods. They maintain this will reduce traffic, pollution and noise levels around Farmington, and for the short term, this may be a true statement. In the long run, we don’t know the result. All we know is we’re taking the noise, pollution and some of the traffic from one spot and moving it to another spot on the north end of town.
And as it’s often said, “build it and they will come.” Most assuredly true when it comes to road building, since people that have used other routes to neighboring Collierville will probably start using this route. As the population increases, so will the traffic. As things get clogged on the new route, people will once again take Farmington.
So, while it may eliviate traffic issues on Farmington for the short term, the current eastward growth trends in this area indicate this is little more than a “band aid” solution.
The road will also bring commercial development. The area is zoned agricultural today; however, there’s nothing to prevent the city from rezoning and allowing commercial development years afterward. What’s now a quiet, wooded home for deer, coyote, racoon, bobcat, woodpecker, heron and owl will become a busy, noisy, lighted thoroughfare for a never ending stream of SUV’s.
The only viable long term solution to the traffic problem is to find other modes of transportation. Spending millions of dollars on road building in a Peak Oil world simply makes no sense. What does make sense is building more bike lanes and reconstructing communities so people can walk to work. Let’s use all this technology we’ve developed and allow more people to work at home with VoIP telephones. I do it everyday. It works well, and I’m more productive at home. Build a rail service around the interstate loop that encircles the city and one straight down the middle of Poplar Ave. All of these approaches, if implemented, could have dramatic effects.
But I have no illusions. People in this area like their cars and big old SUV’s. They want to go where they want when they want and at the speed they want. There’s little or no consideration of the real cost to maintain this lifestyle, and there’s no consideration of the long term effects.
After all, Jesus is coming back, and it’s all going to “pass away. Right?
Believe me. Some people (most people) are doing all they can to insure that the earth “passes away” as quickly as possible.