vision2020
Re: Moscow-Pullman Corridor
Mr. Murray:
Thank you for not only the information, but for joining the list to listen to
different views about the corridor development issue.
A couple of questions occurred to me as I drove to Pullman this weekend.
First, the corridor is a LARGE area. There aren't 8 miles of businesses
anywhere in Latah or Whitman counties (he said thankfully). Is it really
necessary to open ALL of the corridor to development? There is already
development closer to Pullman (just east of the Bishop Blvd light). Is it
possible to extend the commercial zoning the the east slightly rather than open
the entire corridor?
Or, is the real push to develop the area closest to the state line? Without
having much background in development, it seems clear to me that I would rather
have a business 100' into Washington/Whitman County rather than 100' east of
the area currently zoned commercial in Pullman/Whitman County--in order to take
advantage of the existing business traffic at Eastside Marketplace-Wal-Mart-
Staples/Applebees. The vast majority of travelers on the highway are driving
all the way to Pullman once they cross the state line westbound, or came from
Pullman if they cross it eastbound. So in terms of visibility to "traffic,"
the only difference in locating at the east end of the corridor (or within the
first 5 miles east of Pullman) and locating near the state line is that there
are many more "shoppers" close to the state line. I can't imagine being a
Moscow car dealer, for example, and supporting development of the eastern part
of the corridor (even if I didn't give a hoot about the esthetic and "quality
of life" issues frequently cited by opponents) that would: (a) allow a
competing car dealership (b) on my doorstep (c) provided with utilities by MY
city/county (d) taxes and assessments from which won't even be paid to my
STATE, (to say nothing of my county or city).
If the corridor is opened for development it seems to me that both Pullman and
Moscow businesses (and therefore, citizens) will suffer, traffic on the
corridor will increase, thereby causing student commuting time to increase and
driving to become more dangerous--because there will have to be more access
points to the "service road" than currently exist and there will be much more
traffic entering the highway from those access points. BUT a few people will
make HUGE amounts of money.
I consider my community to be more than Moscow and more than Latah County.
Pullman and Whitman County are our neighbors. Actions in either county affect
the other, and the state line certainly seems to create more problems than
benefits. However, even if Whitman and Latah Counties were combined in to one
large county in one state or the other (or, perhaps our own separate entity--I
believe Calloway County, Missouri, purported to secede from the Union at some
time in the distant past, but I digress), I for one would NOT support
development of the corridor. But, I do think that good minds from both cities,
counties, and universities could develop some alternatives that would
provide a greater benefit for a greater number in the entire Whitman/Latah
community.
Mike Curley
Moscow
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