----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 8:45 AM
Subject: 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