Chuck,
I realize that some of those people
who live on the current route of US95 seem self-serving (I personally don't live
there), but can you say that you're not? Would you be so adamantly opposed
to the highway realignment if you lived on the east side of Paradise
Ridge? And they're not sacrificing the ridge. The deer (and moose,
foxes, coyotes, turkeys, etc.) will still have plenty of habitat on the
preserved portion of Paradise ridge, as well as in the Blaine area.
As for the development issue, it all
begins with people who move to the rural settings, then expect the same services
they received when they lived in the more urban areas. Most people who
move to "the country" are ill-prepared and ill-equipped for the harsh
realities that they encounter.
Personally, just as a member of the
public, I am looking forward to a 4-lane North-South highway for the state of
Idaho. This is the 21st century, after all. The realignment of US95
best serves the public interest, and that is the main concern of ITD.
But, I don't have the letters
"Dr." before my name, so I guess my opinion is just the silly
ramblings of an uneducated member of the public and doesn't carry as much
weight.
Dan Carscallen