The people's voice., 1959-09-18

morrow's city, who wish to preserve
Americas green and lovely city parks
and Fairgrounds, are disturbed over
the reckless pursuit of free open space
by the highway planners.
PARKS: SITTING DUCKS
FOR HIGHWAY MEN
Every big city park is sitting duck
for the highway men, and for the To-
cal officials anxious to cut down their
right-o way costs.
Any attack on city park lands has
the sanction of the American Associa-
tion of State Highway Officials in it's
official bible-the "Policy on Arterial
Highways in Urban Areas" published
in 1857. On page 81 of this book is
map. It's entitled Location oppor-
tunities for arterial highways"
And what do they consider a loca-
ton opportunity? The one and only
park in the entire city. Their recon-
mended route cuts through not just
little corner of the park, not just
across one end of the park, but right
smack down the entire length of the
park.
If this hasn't happened in your
town yet, I can only suggest it's be-
cause the highway men haven't been
reading their bible lately.
But all too often, l suspect, the
highway locators and park grabbers
are aided and abetted by stingy, penny
pinching local officials who are anx-
ious to cut down their right-of-way
costs by either giving away or selling
park land at ridiculous prices.
What about public hearings? can
not speak of the thousands. of hear
ings I have not seen, but from some
personal observation l am forced to
conclude that the public hearing is a
carefully staged performance de-
signed to show the audience why the |
route officially agreed upon in private
cannot be changed. AS one of the Brit |
ish motor magazines recently de-
scribed it, these are affairs where cat |
worst, aggrieved persons may hear
very sound reasons why things cannot
be altered
The burden of proof is placed on
the private citizen who often is
poorly informed and easily buffa-
loed by technical mumbo jumbo.
At one public hearing I recently
covered, a representative of the state
highway department opened the tape
recorded portion of the hearing by
making this statement:
"The question is whether you be-
lieve good road will help this coun-
try. That's the question in an eco
hearing. Is a good road
needed in your country? I'd like to
get statement from anyone present
the need for good roads
in this county"
BE THANKFUL OR BE QUIET
In other words, don't make any '
fuss about the route we've already
picked. Just be thankful. And if not, s
be quiet.
At this point, somebody always {
asks: "But what about the land specu- S
ators? We can't release plans for that '
highway. Those spectators will rush
out ahead of us and grab up the land"
Let me quote the answer given by {
he editor of Right of Way magazine, t
he voice of the American Right-of- c
Way Association: S
"a state which has sound right-of-
way acquisition program, predicated +
lpon complete, accurate appraisals, G
md sound skilled negotiations, and v
which releases to the public all avail T
lble data, has nothing to fear from f
he so-called spectators. For specu- +
ators flourish only where there is q
of information, and "
where right-of-way departments are o
uncertain, and subject to g
he whims of politics." f
FOR HIGHWAY b
TANNERS Fl
In closing, may l submit that d
l. A greater share OF highway plan Il
ing should be entrusted to local Off e.
ials and local citizen groups-to the a
eople who will have to live alongside cl
1ese highways, to the school officials
hose districts may be chopped up, 81
, the lovers of city parks who know w
nat quiet, peace, and beauty are pos a
BILE only at the price of constant Sc
gilance. cl
The Federal Highway Act, it seems