Comments on: Freeways Are For Cars

By: The Californian

The Californian — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:50:32 +0000

Cheap and Easy. Is the scenery at the Wye really that important of a transportation issue? How about public transportation and bike lanes?

On the California note, and as a native from California I have to agree with John on this one. When I moved here I purchased an older home close to my work. That means all of my services like road, sewer, gas, electricity, was paid for by property taxes on my house decades ago. I also ride my bike to work everyday, further decreasing my dependence on state ITD resources.

From what I see, many problems are caused by “native” Idahoans living far from work so they can have a large parcel of land and then drive a large Cummings diesel powered truck to work. This adds a huge cost on the state to run services out to those new homes, and is also a huge drain on ITD who is supporting those roads to allow them to do it. Perhaps if more Californian’s moved here with their bikes and hybrid cars the air quality wouldn’t be so bad either.

I think the real issue with the “Californians” issue is xenophobia.

By: john

john — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 17:06:51 +0000

Luddite, I’m a native too, Canyon County thank you. You must not be a native because if you were you would know that what has happened here Idaho is because of native Idahoans. What ever you see that you don’t like in Idaho was probably caused by a native Idahoan. The real native Idahoans made the first mistake by not killing and eating the Lewis & Clark Corps. of Discovery.
Luddite is a perfect example of why Idaho is like it is.

By: Jack

Jack — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 21:08:38 +0000

Everyone adopt a hundredth of a mile (52.8 feet) on the right hand side of the road (no one in the median). Take care of it all the way to the edge of right of way. Do this every day of the year. How long will you last?

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 13:08:54 +0000

Did you really mean in your first paragraph that local commuters would be traveling past the landscaping at 70 miles per hour, or was that one of your jokes? How often does traffic move that fast — local or otherwise — through the Flying Wye where this landscaping would take place? By the time the beautification project is done many of those on this section of road may actually be able to “stop and smell the (prairie) roses” after all.

By: Luddite

Luddite — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:38:30 +0000

Tam- I think that I'll take your advice, but I think I'll have a white chocolate Americano. I found a good guide on Native plants when I was landscaping my property. Here is the link: http://www.idahonativeplants.org/guides/LandscapingGuide.aspx

By: Tam

Tam — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:05:25 +0000

Luddite: I suspect what was originally there was sage brush, pure and simple. I hope we can get more creative and esthetically pleasing than that. While I don’t share your dislike aka phobia of those born somewhere other than Idaho, I do think we should get creative about the labor end of this thing. I am picturing rice-paper bags of seed (and sand), purchased by residents and then pitched out the car window at 70 miles an hour onto the subject right of way. That way, the seed gets blown around and “naturalized”, the ricepaper bags disintegrate (or biodegrade) as soon as moisture touches them, no labor costs associated with sowing of seed, and if the State sold the bags of seed they could offset the cost of landscaping by the revenue generated. Luddite you could buy a few and work out your obvious frustrations by seed throwing. In the MEAN time (no pun intended), lighten up and have a Latte.

By: Luddite

Luddite — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:17:28 +0000

It’s funny how parts of a story can disappear that may read objectionable.

Bosiean- I will admit that I can be overly passionate about this subject, but I’m not making any more money because of the influx. Nobody that originally lived here can buy a house here. The schools are overcrowed and quality of life is in the can. All this in the last few years. It doesn’t take much to see where it’s comming from.

bg- I just wish that when Californians moved here they would also realize that they are no better then anyone else because of where you were born, how much money you make or what race you are.

You must not make it up into the woods to see the real damage of out of state people. It’s not only politics damaging the enviroment, it’s too many people being irresponsible.

On the landscaping, I also like native wildflowers and native plants. We should strive to adapt to what was here before and what fits in the natural rhythms of the original surroundings. We should also take a lesson from our friends at Nike and get cheap child labor to take care of it if need be.

By: Treva Hamilton

Treva Hamilton — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 01:27:17 +0000

Native wildflowers…..hmmmmm. I guess most native wildflowers have a few weeks of blooming in the spring and the rest of the year the “landscaping” will be just like the drive to Mountain Home. This is a high desert, folks, low rainfall, high heat in the summer. Let’s not get our hopes up. But I agree that that spot (which I haven’t seen in many years because I have my favorite backroads to travel) doesn’t need high maintenance landscaping. We have too many other needs that demand our tax dollars.

By: Pat

Pat — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 22:04:06 +0000

All of us that went to the “viewing” agree with the idea of natual grasses and flowers idea and forget the trees and scrubs. All the trees do is cost a lot of money and make some landscape company a bundle. This approach is by far the most sensible and economical.

Besides if they plant what they propose then the City will raise our property taxes so they can maintain the trees and scrubs for the next 50 -100 years.

Why not spend about $1 million on grasses and wildflowers and then give the remaining millions to the neighborhoods so they can fight the City Council over all their ugly row house projects, the massive condos, and the other “blueprint for goofy growth” infill projects.

By: bg

bg — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 21:39:05 +0000

Having traveled and lived in a number of areas in Texas I have seen how nice the roadways are when the flowers are blooming. I think the wildflower idea has more merit than than any other one that has been proposed for the Wye.

Luddite – Who exactly do you think you are, a NATIVE AMERICAN? Next time you complain about attitudes from Californians you need to realize that you are no better then anyone else because of where you were born, how much money you make or what race you are. What makes you a better person is to have understanding and be able to help your fellow AMERICANS.

I personally welcome out of staters to Idaho in the hope that they will help change the lopsided one-party system in Idaho that is doing more to harm and destroy this state then any one group of “outsiders”.