{"id":515,"date":"2008-04-11T22:43:08","date_gmt":"2008-04-12T02:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=515"},"modified":"2020-12-06T10:31:14","modified_gmt":"2020-12-06T15:31:14","slug":"mlk-jr-bridge-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2008\/04\/11\/mlk-jr-bridge-controversy\/","title":{"rendered":"MLK Jr. Bridge controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"

On April 1, 2008, the Board of Public Works voted not to include funding for a temporary bridge to be built in place while the old bridge is torn out and a new one built.\u00a0The main reason cited was financial; however, it was also mentioned that building a temporary bridge would disrupt the surrounding area too much.<\/p>\n

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Placing a bridge to the East or right of the existing bridge is not a possibility.\u00a0Lawton Park Skatepark is there, and an approach would have to be placed too close to the Skatepark. The western side is better; however, the approach would be problematic.\u00a0The only way to do it would be to divert Clinton Street down the old railroad right of way along the Blue OmniSource wall.\u00a0 However, this makes the proposition even more costly as you’d have to remove the approach and diverted lanes once the new bridge was in place. The only way I can see this working is if the new bridge is placed here instead.\u00a0The old bridge needs to come out completely.\u00a0 The new design does not allow for piers – and that’s part of the purpose of building a new one anyway.<\/p>\n

So, the solution offered by IDOT and the City is to have multiple detours available and not build a temporary bridge.<\/p>\n

In today’s (April 11, 2008) Journal Gazette, a Letter to the Editor appeared:<\/p>\n

Temporary bridge needed on Clinton<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not building a temporary bridge while the Clinton Street bridge is being replaced will be committing financial suicide for the downtown business district.<\/p>\n

One million dollars is a bargain considering how economically disruptive the project will be.<\/p>\n

We will have a new Harrison Square facility that will be difficult to get to and probably almost impossible to reach by people from out of town.<\/p>\n

There will be about 9 million vehicles that will have to find alternate routes. What will be the budget impact of the additional wear-and-tear repair costs on alternate roads that were not designed for that traffic load, not to mention the additional fuel costs for commuters to meander through town looking for a way across the river or sitting in traffic with their engines running, not going anywhere?<\/p>\n

Let’s not be penny wise and pound foolish on this one. There is too much at stake for the downtown revitalization and cost to commuters.<\/p>\n

JOHN MORREALE\u00a0– Fort Wayne<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, gee John, let’s stop the Harrison Square project right now. Call the contractors, tell them it’s gonna be a waste of time. While we’re at it, let’s move everybody out of downtown because when Clinton Street closes, it’s all gonna go to hell in\u00a0a handbasket anyway.<\/p>\n

The problem with letters like this is that while it may echo similar sentiments in the community, it also, in a sense, “educates” them and gives them ammunition to be used against projects that will better our community. I saw this time and time again with Harrison Square, and I am almost positive you could look at any proposed public works project in this community’s history, and you would find the same thing.<\/p>\n

Let’s look at what got my goat about this post:<\/p>\n