11-22-2020, 11:53 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2020, 11:55 PM by danbrotherston.)
(11-22-2020, 02:36 PM)tomh009 Wrote:(11-22-2020, 02:16 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: While we're at it, there's no reason for Homer Watson to be a four lane divided highway north of Ottawa, some significant reconfiguration there could free up 3.5 acres of land. Yes, acres.
And yes, that is the land covered by half of Homer Watson from the highway interchange to Stirling...man we waste absolute GOBS of land on roads.
Homer Watson was originally envisioned in the 1960s as a four-lane arterial road, continuing through Lakeside Park and connecting to (I think) Belmont Ave (also four lanes). Fortunately, that plan was cancelled -- but that's how we were left with a short stretch of four-lane divided road. And with a light traffic volume even now, 60 years later.
Now, what could be done here fairly easily is to move all the traffic to one side, and change the other side to parkland, from Stirling to the WB expressway on-ramp, extending Mensinger Park substantially.
Oh, I'm very familiar with those plans. But as those plans are cancelled, the space should be repurposed...we have continued to waste money paving a wastefully wide road for no reason for 40 years.
I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times...fiscal conservatives are a joke...if they actually cared about the budget, they'd be freaking out about this bullshit.
The best time to do it was 40 years ago...(or whenever it was cancelled). The next best time is today. That being said, I don't expect anything to happen for years...it isn't a priority..chances are good the road will be repaved again before someone bothers to fight to change it. That happened with Belmont...it happened with Frederick. I'm going to fight a battle on Benton/Frederick, and we've somewhat made the best of a bad situation on Belmont, but I don't have the time and effort to do it for every time this stupidity has happened.