Highway 95

["Louise D. Barber" <louiseb@moscow.com>]

Visionaries,

 

In response to Chuck Harris's message yesterday:

 

Although I could not agree more with Chuck about what a treasure Paradise Ridge is (it is, of course, the site of his home, but it is equally our spectacular eastern view), I think the proposed decision to reroute the highway halfway down the western side of the ridge is the correct one.  ALL of us are sick that ANY Palouse land has to go, but the issue seems to me to be one of safety.  Those of us who live on this highway (many of us barely escaping with our lives multiple times -- and terrified for our kids) know that something to make 95 safer is long overdue, and THE primary concern.  Highway 95, whether we like it or not, is the only game in the state, vitally important, and dangerous to beat all.  More than just Moscow-Genesee residents ought to be weighing in on this one; everyone who travels this road knows (or doesn't know until it's too late) how badly this highway needs improving.

 

Sure, we have personal stakes in this: if the existing highway is selected for the improvement, we personally lose nearly a third of our property, a house, and will just love having the highway practically next to our deck.  Our response:  we'll start planting dozens of fast growing trees and pretend we never had a view in that direction. Something MUST be done to make this highway safer, but with dozens (literally) of private and county accesses on to this road, the existing highway is simply not the feasible way to go.  No engineering will make it safer than a two-access, straighter road.  Yes, higher, yes taking out land (so would widening the existing highway, along with ca. 9 homes), yes having an impact on the environment (as would widening the existing highway) -- but SAFER. 

 

The decision will have an impact on someone, no matter which decision is made, which is unfortunate but undoubted.  I'm for safety as the first priority of the decision makers. 

 

Louise Barber