The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-10-25
WANT HIGHWAYS
ROUTED OUTSIDE

Unlike several communities that
have celebrated the completion of
pavements which will bring traffic in
to town, Winona last week staged
ceremony to mark the completion of
a mile stretch of highway which
takes through traffic out of the con-
gested portion of the city.
When the temporary trunk high
ways were selected in 1921, No. 8 was
routed over closely built up resi-
dence street near the main business
district. When the time came for fix
ing the permanent location, Winona
city officials and civic organizations
joined in an almost unanimous re-
quest that another route several blocks
farther away from the business dis
trict be selected.
The new route not only relieves con-
gestion in the central portion of the
city, but 1t eliminates the hazards in
cident to two double track railroad
grade crossings and several school
crossings and right angle turns.
Conspicuous signs mark an alter
nate route to the business district.
Thus Winona gets the benefit of any
shopping traffic" and avoids the
delays and hazards occasioned by
passing traffic" going over streets al
ready crowded with local traffic.
Minnesota Is not the only state
where there are differences of opinion
as to the routing of trunk highways
through cities and villages. Illinois
towns have been going through ex-
periences similar to those of many
towns in this state. A recent issue Of
Tennessee Highways" contains this
interesting account of what is hap
pening: 10
"Ten days ago delegation of small
town civic officials appealed to the
state highway department of Illinois
to undo an error which the delegations
themselves admitted was their own.
They asked the Illinois highway COM
mission to change the routing on num-
erous state highways so that the trunk
line roads would go around their
towns instead of thru them.
"These delegates told the highway
commission that through traffic had
so congested their streets that their
own citizens could not get into the
stores to shop, that through highway
trucks and buses had battered their
street paving to pieces, that through
highway traffic had compelled them to
create traffic police jobs which were
severely taxing the property owners of
the city to maintain, that through
traffic had increased the accident toll
amona their own citizens because
downtown steets were not wide enough
or properly enough engineered to carry
the burden of both the through and
local traffic For every reason that
was advanced ten years ago as to why
trunk highways should be routed
through the heart of the city, these
same cities now had ten reasons why
they should be taken away from the
heart of the city.
EAn interstate and mostly inter
city automobiles will throw up their
hats and cheer the day when they can
pursue their way across country with
out being dragged through small town
business districts Acting on the as
sumption that automobile tourists
spend money, and that the more tour
lists you can get thru the city and past
spending points, the mere that will be
spent, small towns have clamored for
mid-city routing of direct highways.
Now they are beginning to under-
stand that the automobile tourist is
like any other tourist. He spends for
what he wants and what he must have,
he is perfectly willing to drive into the
city, get it and drive put again.