There was too much vested interest in keeping the development in Giant Forest. Finally, at the turn of this century rangers are taking the steps to protect ancient trees. Building more roads near our campus invites more traffic, and drivers always accept the invitation. The proposed Loop Road comes near the heart of the campus, where UNH planners have made the wise decision to build new classrooms on existing parking lots. The Loop Road will strangle our opportunity for rational campus expansion.
Little opportunity exists for parking near the heart of the campus.
Maybe drivers will just ride around polluting the air, making noise and endangering the lives of pedestrians. The Loop Road will be a costly patchwork solution to a problem that requires a bolder and more far-reaching vision, one that keeps heavy traffic away from the heart of the campus. Let's put our resources toward mass transportation near the heart of the campus, build several tunnel walks under Main Street and one additional tunnel walk under the railroad track. Mass transportation together with safe crosswalks is the way to protect our students. Rangers in Sequoia National Park decided that the traffic had to be greatly reduced to protect the giant trees.