'Boondoggle'
He grew up in a small Kansas town in a modest and hardworking family, with six brothers. He excelled in sports in high school and received an appointment to West Point. All he wanted was to be a good soldier, raise a family and retire comfortably. It was not to be. His undistinguished Army career changed in 1942 when he became commander of the Allied Forces landing in North Africa. He then became the brains and leadership behind D-Day and the liberation of Europe from the Axis.
He was a five-star general, president of Columbia University, and president of the United States. His presidency concentrated on maintaining world peace and completing the desegregation of the military and public schools.
"There must be no second-class citizens in this country," he said.
He also signed a bill to create the federal Interstate Highway System.
Over the past half-century, this network of wide and limited access roadways has grown from a military transportation need to a vast and complex superhighway connection linking our cities and small towns throughout the nation. When you look at the system covering this vast land, you can envision a virtual spider web network of fast-pace, never-ending activity from sea to shining sea. Like all other political decisions, this idea, borne of need and some altruism, results in some good and some bad.
And none as bad as the new asphalt and concrete boondoggle that is called Interstate 3. This monster, created primarily to haul radioactive material to the Oak Ridge nuclear plant, is proposed to start in Savannah at the current interchange between Georgia 21 and Interstate 95, on Georgia 21 past Springfield to the Sylvania Bypass, then on US 301, leave 301 at Georgia 24, then northwest to US 25 at Waynesboro. From there it would consume US 25, crossing I-520 west of Augusta to I-20, Georgia 72 east of Elberton, then west on Georgia 72, northwest on Georgia 77 to Hartwell. After crossing I-85, it would overrun Georgia 17 to Toccoa, Clarkesville and Hiawassee.
Interstate 3 then would enter North Carolina over N.C. 69, north on U.S. 64 west to Murphy. It would replace U.S. 19-129-74 eastward next to the airport and through Andrews to Topton, then along U.S. 129 through Robbinsville, Santeetlah, Tapoca and the western edge of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It would arrive in Tennessee, consuming the roadway known as The Dragon, and on to Maryville and Alcoa, connecting to I-40 west of Knoxville.
In Georgia, Interstate 3 would change 22 communities, in North Carolina seven, in Tennessee four. Do you live in Sardis? Martinez? Leah? Tignall? Helen? Young Harris? Louisville? Move out of the way. A highway right-of-way up to 500 feet across may be a reality.
Think you're gonna get rich quick by selling your land? Forget it. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling last month took that away from you. Eminent domain now rules.
Got a map? Trace all the towns and roads listed above from Savannah to Knoxville. Then you will be able to see the impact of this proposed superhighway. Whether this asphalt and concrete monstrosity is on the edge of your town, goes in your town, or through your front door, it is guaranteed to change your neighborhood forever. And not for the better.
You will hear that this is just a study, that the route may change, that any decision is years away, that the public will have a chance to be heard, that it will create jobs, that it will bring economic benefits, that it will increase public safety, blah, blah, blah.
It's a boondoggle, folks. It was signed into law by President Bush on Aug. 10, 2005. The only way to stop this monster is to be aware, to organize, make yourself heard and get it unsigned. Now. It can be done if we start working early to stop this mess. People in Florida stopped one such boondoggle a few years back by taking action that forced President Nixon to sign a bill eliminating funding on the Cross Florida Barge Canal. Dead issue. Kaput.
I don't think President Eisenhower, in creating the Interstate Highway System, meant for this to happen to us. He didn't intend for the government to take our land, our community, our lifestyle.
He certainly didn't want the federal government to make us second-class citizens to a political boondoggle.
Ronn Ginn is an architect licensed in six southern states. He can be reached at ronnginn@aol.com. |
