vision2020
Re: US95 South
Thank you for the intelligent discussion; I have a few
comments, being a resident on Paradise Ridge;
1. Not true that "most of the animal life has been
pushed that direction by residences on Paradise Ridge." We
owned our parcel here approx. 3 years before building, and the herds of elk
& deer continually migrate up and down the ridge, east to west, and vice
versa; more so in the winter. "Wildlife habitat" doesn't connote
"endangered." I've only lived in the area for a little over 10 years, and
I've heard of the Palouse Prairie. Seeing the view from the ridge, it is
easy to see that the Palouse is a prairie.
2. Whether the Highway District absorbs the old 95 route
or not, Reisenauer Hill is ALREADY an albatross. Correct me if I'm wrong,
but I understand the stretch of road from Moscow to Genesee to be one of the
most, if not THE most, dangerous/deadly sections of highway in Idaho.
That was supposed to be the issue causing a search for an alternative in the
first place.
3. I don't know the techinal term for the fog we
experience on the Ridge, but anyone living in Moscow can see the Ridge covered
in fog many times every winter. It's no joke, and running a high speed
highway through it will cause problems, not unlike the problems faced with
Reisenauer Hill (collisions, fatalities, and the like.)
4. The USDA/Ed Haagen out of the Moscow office prepared
the analysis regarding lost cropland, and proposed 10A absorbs a lot more
productive cropland (not CRP) than other proposed routes.
5. If Paradise Ridge is a "game preserve" then those of
us living on the Ridge aren't "driving the wildlife into areas where Route 10A
will be located." We, as private property owners, can choose not to allow
hunting up here. No one else has the ability to tell us we have to allow
hunting. Game migration is only going to contribute to collisions and
fatalities on the new proposed route 10A. The assessment already completed
on the project acknowledges that.
6. If I'm understanding your comments correctly, just
because trees weren't there when Moscow was settled means it's o.k. to go in and
cut them all down? Moscow is a Tree City, USA, and it seems to me Moscow
residents have always prided themselves on that point. Let's cut down all
the trees in downtown Moscow and put in a parking lot.
7. And, while we're at it, let's shoot all the
birds. I don't see the benefit of expecting birds to take up residence in
K-Mart signs.
8. It's interesting that, given the original reason for
looking for a new route for the highway, that the old 95 from Eid Road to Moscow
will remain open, and from the sound of it, open to anyone wishing to use
it. So, why are we looking at a new route?
9. Compensation for seizure under imminent domain isn't
necessarily what you might think it is. Depending on the formula and
calculations, those displaced homeowners may or may not be able to relocate and
be left whole.
10-11. To heck with the wetlands; let's fill them in
with cement to match the parking lot downtown. And what about the
people? Are we all resilient enough to endure more collisions and
fatalities along a misplaced new 95?
12. It is true that concerns aren't proof; the reason
for the impact study was to hopefully consider all the potential difficulties
with each proposed route; that focus has been lost in all the misguided
comments. Water quality? Who cares. There has been a
suggestion that the leveling and deep digging required for the 10A route may cut
into the groundwater reservoir; who cares? But, that's just a concern, we
won't have proof until it's done.
13. Noise is noise, depending on where you are in
relation to the noise. The current highway is noisy for all those
residents who chose to build along the highway. When we moved up to the
Ridge, we were choosing not to be close to the highway, and to get away from the
noise of the city and highways.
My point in all this is that there are no easy, clear answers,
and any decision will impact all of us, either positively or negatively.
No one is RIGHT or WRONG here. From my perspective, what is most upsetting
is that the Department of Transportation seemed to have its mind made up long
before it came in and announced "proposed routes." That was only done to
appease the little people who live here.
Cindy Miller
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 8:01
PM
Subject: Re: US95 South
I appreciate
your positive points, but I think you are heavier on the negatives. I'd
like to answer each of them:
Negatives:
1. Alignment 10A adds 200 acres of new,
impervious surfaces (roads) to Latah County of which 67 acres is the shoulder
to shoulder width of the roadway, 41 acres of wildlife habitat destroyed, 32
acres that could be used by Threatened and Endangered Species destroyed, Idaho
Department of Fish and Game estimates 465 acres of wildlife
habitat
negatively impacted. With the destruction also comes the increased potential
for noxious weed expansion that would threatened remaining Palouse Prairie
habitat. Palouse Prairie is considered an endangered ecosystem. A report
prepared for the BLM cited the major threats to remnants were road building
and weeds.
How many
endangered species live in that area? Most of the animal life has been
pushed that direction by residences on Paradise Ridge than anything
else. And this is the first I've ever heard of the "Palouse
Prairie"--sounds like a buzzword for environmental groups to use against
development they don't want.
2. Dangerous Reisenauer Hill now becomes albatross of county. Genesee
school bus must still negotiate during snowy weather. Poor alignment at corner
of Eid and current US 95 still in place. Poor road approaches at Zeitler
and Snow roads still exist.
The "New-old"
US95 will likely be adopted by the North Latah County Highway District.
The Highway District commissioners have passed a motion to accept the old
section into their system. NLCHD and ITD will be working together to
facilitate the changeover to county road status.
3. Orographic fog (caused by the elevational change of the
north-south Paradise Ridge against the prevailing east-west winds of the
Palouse) will be a problem. Between Halloween 1999 and Christmas 1999, there
were 13 days when orographic fog descended below the level of the
proposed route (doesnt't include the 10 days when
everyone had fog during
late December). More snow accumulation at higher elevation.
This sounds
like "Voodoo weather" to me. I'm no scientist, so I guess I'm not
informed enough to have ever heard of orographic fog, not even on the Weather
Channel. I would also venture to guess that you would see more fog on
the Genesee flats than on Paradise ridge.
4. Disrupts cropland. Although much of the ground is currently in
CRP, if it was good enough to farm during the last 15 years, it may be good
enoughto farm in the future. (No woody vegetation planted, indicating farmers
leaving the option to retill).
If you go look
at CRP ground, you'll notice that a lot of it is being naturally seeded with
trees. There's a reason it went into CRP in the first place, mainly
because it wasn't as profitable to farm it.
5. Route will greatly affect big game movement. Moose use
riparian/hawthorn stringers. Large deer herds (I've seen as many as 100 head)
roam up and down the ridge. Elk run the stringers during spring and fall
migration. Free roaming deer may become safety concern. Only available water
for big game during harsh winters on west side of
new road - cover on
east.
This is
another problem caused by people moving into that area, driving the wildlife
out into areas where Route 10A will be located. It is also caused by the
top of Paradise ridge being a game preserve. Since there is no hunting
pressure, the deer herd has boomed in that area. A limited permit
archery only hunt would be effective in controlling the deer population
without risk to those who live in the Paradise ridge area of stray
bullets.
6. Removes one of only 2 lower elevation pine stands that serve as
wildlife oasis between the top of the Lewiston Hill and Moscow.
Those trees
weren't there when Moscow was settled, so they're not "natural"
anyway.
7. Removes pine stand used for nesting by 4 species of birds of prey:
Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, Great Horned Owls, and Barn Owls.
Removes pine stand that serves as integral part of wildlife area used by 115
species of birds, at least 8 mammals, 3 amphibians. Three species are listed
as Species of Special Concern for Idaho:
Western Toad, Barn Owl, and Pygmy
Nuthatch, the later being listed as borderline S2 (without concern for
habitat, may become extirpated from State).
Remember the
Spotted Owl that would only nest in old growth forest? I seem to
remember hearing about one nesting in an "old growth" K-Mart
sign.
8. The biggest "losers" in this route, residents along Eid Road,
won't even have close access to the new highway. Using the new road to go to
Moscow will add about 1.5 miles to the trip.
They still
have access to the old highway, not changing the mileage of their trip one
inch.
9. Requires removal of at least 5 trailer homes, one 4-stall garage,
one split level home and garage at Eid Road.
I think those
people will be properly compensated. And I personally have experience
trying to sell a trailer home. It's not easy.
10. Numerous wetland disruptions. Pond just south of Eid Road,
riparian / hawthorn stringers, extremely close to Stevens? Springs (south end
Zeitler Road), several ponds on Mike Snow property. Construction through
decomposed granite may cause increased sediment loads to South Fork Palouse
River drainage.
From what i've
seen, there is 0.6 acre of wetland that will be "disrupted". I think
that can be made up for very easily with new pond
construction.
11. Proposed wetland mitigation for Alt 10A "takes" will be 10 miles
away-no benefit to the wildlife of Paradise Ridge.
As noted
before with the spotted owl example, wildlife species are a lot more resilient
than a lot of people give them credit.
12. May impact water quality in Hidden Village. DEQ has concerns
about this.
Concerns
aren't proof.
13. Elevating
the new road bed 60' above the current Eid Road will be noisy to Hidden
Village residents.
Any noisier than having the road directly below the Hidden
Village?
Dan
Carscallen
Moscow
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