It's
noon in
Bloom
thank
you.
The turnout today you'd never guess there been any controversy over a new highway
which is well from the size of this crowd to fear the most your people like the
idea. I'm sure most of them do not have to admit to two
or three folks I never thought would show up today even I had about business
improvement to the defendant about sound today.
Maybe they finally seen the light back I sure hope their grandfather Conner's not
turning over his grave at what's happening here today.
Well if he is bomb it isn't because you and I didn't fight it all the way.
Now the bill. Let's hope we have been wrong all around. How very far.
I will convince you. Farmer Gee I know what's done is done at
that ribbon I get on in the market to see if this road is worth the trouble it cost
me.
Thank you gentlemen.
It's what this think pleasure today on the occasion of this important event.
To introduce to you the last three as governor of our great state.
They are called the it all white.
Thank you Mary Spencer. Distinguished guests. Ladies and gentlemen.
I compliment you on this large gathering here today.
It shows clearly
that you the people of Connersville recognize the true significance of this
ceremony to each and every one of you if you have had your discussions.
Even disagreements about the highway.
In the public hearing room on the streets and in your homes
and I think you all agree
that such discussions are healthy far from them comes the majority will.
We are gathered here today to dedicate a new highway that represents the.
Majority well of the citizens of your community.
One segment of a great national system of highways
that one day soon will connect to the majors
that is of our land do good people of Connersville are about to reap the
benefits. Great concern efforts. Let's hope that's the case. Governor.
Let's hope the future proves that eighteen months ago the right decision was made.
Eighteen months ago.
See if you can find Miss Rathbone to see
when we can have the town pretty a schoolteacher standing again
when you're
meeting time no water.
This is a public hearing on the location of improve US Route one ten through Connor
County another sanity of Connersville.
Since federal funds will be used in this project.
The law requires a public hearing to discuss the economic effect of the proposed
highway location. The law also says
that ample notice of the hearing must be given so
that all interested parties may appear and be.
Judging from the size of this crowd here today I would say
that the states give them plenty of notice.
Now I've been asked by the state highway department to conduct this here.
So let's get things started by turning the meeting over to Mr Paul Jacobs of the
state highway division engineer who will explain the state's proposal. Mr Jacobson.
Thank you very centered on the record I'm Paul Jacobs speaking of division engineer
for the state highway department. Now as you know the state.
Proposing to improve federal aid route one ten in the vicinity of Cartersville.
This highway will be part of the interstate highway system created by the Federal
Aid Highway Act of one hundred fifty six out of help you understand our proposal
like to give my presentation by showing you a short film
that will give you some of the background of the current highway program.
In this century America has become a nation on.
We we ride on wheels to work to shop to play to go about any place we want to go.
We depend on wheels to bring us the food we eat the clothes we wear the things we
knew but when we depend on wheels.
We depend also on highways and roads
and streets for the wheels to roll
and therein lies the challenge building highways and roads
and streets fast enough to keep up with the knee after World War two the nation
began developing a case of acute than just in the past as millions of dollars a
year in time equipment and allies.
By nine hundred fifty six there were more than sixty five million cars on our road
with ninety million forecasts by nine hundred seventy five.
Clearly it was a time for National Action Congress responded with the federal lane
Highway Act of one hundred fifty six providing the staggering sum of fifty one
billion dollars to be spent by the states on highway construction by nine hundred
seventy one the most talked about phase of the act is the interstate highway system.
Forty one thousand mile network of our most important road.
Most of these roads will be for sixty seven eight lane expressway constructed for
through traffic. They will do.
The over the road driving from city to city coast to coast at highway speeds even
for large populations
that the federal aid highway Act offers relief to the local driver to by giving him
in the access to his home work stores without interference from through traffic
billions of dollars will be spent for city streets and expressways
and for other highways of the primary system.
The farmer to benefits directly from the billions allotted for the improvement of
state
and county highways as well as the farm to market roads of our rural system these
new highways will have a far reaching economic impact on the entire nation.
They provide a heavy duty link between all parts of productive America.
They are a shot in the arm for cities
that have begun to feel the impact of growing downtown traffic congestion they open
up vast new areas for suburban living
and they encourage industry to disperse out of the city congested they stimulate
business
and create new jobs particularly among the nation's road builders who are fulfilling
their tremendous responsibility with specialized equipment
and modern techniques to build roads about highest quality at the lowest cost.
They stimulate business to in the industry supplying the road building
manufacturers of heavy equipment explosive aggregate steel concrete petroleum
products chemicals and many other they create other jobs
and business opportunities in related fields to car truck
and bus manufacturing as well as services catering to the motor traffic perhaps
most important of all they will save lives.
Bringing about at least a fifty percent reduction in the death rate on major
highways state highway officials charged with the responsibility of designing
and building the new highway system
and are actually planning into every mile all the factors
that mean safety control that.
Says for example the most important factor
that promotes safety by eliminating crossroads private entrance
and traffic signals
and Red Cross properly planned median strips to separate traffic wider traffic
claims the take into account highway driving speed added lanes to handle in pretty
frantic value wider firmer well stabilized shoulders to provide adequate expert
roadside lanes for emergencies smoothly the curves
and gentle bridge to ensure adequate sight distance and bridges
and overpasses over railroad tracks and intersecting high.
Of course all highway planners recognized the safety value of such factors as
adequate lighting a critical voice easy to read highways
and modern electronic equipment such as the type
that turns on reduced speed signs in bad weather
or even removal die from key spots automatically important to such good maintenance
practices as inexpensive full scale ice removal with calcium chloride
drainage maintenance and weed eradication.
But the road to a better road is not the. There are many problems.
Notably antiquated state laws leftover from horse and buggy day.
Laws that must be brought up today.
Rising land prices greatly increasing the cost of future highways.
Unless the land can be purchased and set aside now
and the shortage of trained highway engineers.
However the solution to all the problems lies most of all in the public to
understand it or only
when each citizen becomes better informed about his state highway program.
Only when he helps develop the popular support. So essential to highway progress.
Can the nation meet the highway challenge.
So the better safer roads of tomorrow will be.
Today.
That gives you an idea of some of the factors we considered him arriving at the
recommendation under discussion today three.
This is a highway system friendly encounter County. THIS IS US Route one Tim.
The state proposes to improve US Route one ten with a controlled access highway
that will be part of the interstate highway system.
Present route one ten will be widened from two to four lanes dotted by median strip.
And the alignment we brought up to present day standards.
Now at this point we propose leaving present route one ten
and bypassing the town of commerce that there will be easy convenient access to
and from the new i way. Without a good sign.
We also proposed to improve that portion of present route one ten
that runs through Connersville to widen the pavement from eighteen to twenty two
feet and to correct the alignment in several places.
We believe route one ten offers the best most economical pass for the new
interstate highway through Connor County.
But locating it elsewhere would mean excessive land costs.
In normal right of way problems and greater construction costs.
Now our decision to make Route one ten the controlled access highway is based on
these traffic count figures about eight thousand vehicles use the present road one
tends to Connersville every day.
By one hundred seventy five we estimate sixteen thousand vehicles daily.
So perhaps that explains why congestion is increasing every day on Main Street.
And why the accident rate on Route one ten has become one of the highest in the
state.
Now our traffic count points out another fact of the eight thousand vehicles to
travel route one ten each day. Only fifteen hundred. Are destined for cars.
The other sixty five hundred are merely passing through.
Therefore we're recommending that the new highway bypass the town.
In the belief that it offers the most advantages.
Both to Connersville
and to the state from your point of view it will keep Main Street free of the
excessive congestion caused by through traffic.
It will relieve local people especially children of the hazards of through traffic
and it will pay through traffic office break in front of the new elementary school
from the state's point of view it will get through traffic a shorter distance to
travel without getting tied up in business district traffic.
It eliminates hazardous curves
and it cost less than buying the additional right of way necessary if you did go
through town that we've started the situation carefully and believe sincerely
that our recommendation is in the best interest of the most people.
That can close my presentation or Spencer. Thank you.
Thank you Mr Jacobson.
But you just heard the stage proposal is there anyone who will bomb Paris you look
like you have something to say that you better have a mayor.
I think Mr Jacobson is forgetting Bob would you identify yourself for the record.
I'm Robert Holmes owner of Harris's drive in restaurant
and I'm speaking as chairman of the Committee on business improvement of the
Connersville Chamber of Commerce.
I think Mr Jacobson is forgetting there's lots of us in this town who make our
living from people writing done mean street seeing our signs
and stopping what we need is more people driving done Main Street not less.
If you don't have traffic you don't have business.
Take me for example I've got four men working for me
and they've got families to feed. If I don't get business those families don't eat.
So that's why I say. Speaking for the Chamber of Commerce.
If there's any way improving to be done.
Let's improve the roads
that bring more people into Connersville of a jack
you wish to say something I'm Jack Connor. I'm a businessman too.
I'd like to say a few words as an individual backing up what Bob Harris just got
through say I am my family's been around Connersville a long time.
My grandfather started this town the rest of us Connor's of help to grow.
I think it's the best little town in the state.
This town was made what it is because of the highway running through it.
I don't think anybody can deny
that route one ten brought people into town to shop and to market their farm good.
Course none of us ever got rich but most of us are right comfortable.
Now the state comes along and wants to build a bigger
and better route one hundred ten
and instead of bringing it through Connersville where it will do the most good.
They want to go chopping up a lot of farmland outside of the town to fix it so
that people won't have to come to comment. Well I say that's wrong.
I say the road should come through town the way it's always done.
Of a sticking.
Thing I run the king dairy farm out west of town
and I've got plenty to say too about this highway.
I have big or there's something wrong
when a man's got to give up his farmland for a road he can't use
when the road he does use needs fixing. So bad.
Now you're planning to put this big new superhighway smack dab through my farm so's
folks can get from one side of the county to the other ten minutes faster and.
Not plan for me to drive on it from my farm as that right. Yes Is Mr King.
But the traffic load on one ten prohibits us from permitting any private entrances.
He will be able to get on a new highway though by driving up a short way down Route
one thirty four. I suppose I could do that and that's part of what's griping me.
I don't see why I should have to drive two to three miles out of my way down a
dusty road for the charcoals to get out of a new road
that runs not more than two hundred yards from my house.
Well I don't blame you for complaining about one thirty four.
But I can tell you what's on our federal aid secondary road list
and very shortly it'll be improved.
Well I had some good news
but I still say it's wrong to take a man's farmland for a road he can't you.
Taking the hardest part of being a highway engineer is explaining to people why we
have to take their land for a new highway. Believe me.
We're the first what method we must inconvenience many good people.
But it's our job only plan new highways to try to do the most good for the most
people at the least cost an inconvenience.
As I said before the state believes a bypass around Connersville is in the best
interests of the most people.
But it seems to me Mr Jacobson
that there's too much thought being given to other people.
What about us right here in Connersville. Maybe I can help answer that question.
My name's Henry Loomis Connersville per year
but I'm speaking as chairman of the traffic improvement accounts which may
or Spencer foremast year.
First I'd like to say that our group agrees with the state's recommendations.
Now the improvements proposed for present ten through Connersville fit in perfectly
with the mass street highway plan that we've worked Afrikaner through.
And we feel are some very good reasons why this bypass will be of great interest to
all of us. Now you've already heard some of them from Mr Jacobson
but there are others.
Now do any of you realize that a controlled access highway through Connersville.
Would mean a barrier dividing the town in half the traffic improvement Council has
studied similar situations in other towns.
And we feel that the economic development of Connersville.
Will be stimulated by this proposed bypass
and the business will actually increase that rate by keeping people away from town.
Yes or Jack exactly by keeping those out who didn't plan the stop here anyway.
Now what good do through drivers do your business if they don't stop.
Plenty of them stop at my place. You may be an exception.
But generally speaking through traffic adds nothing to Connersville
but the bumper to bumper congestion which is already choking us to death.
Now if we can get rid of excess traffic we'll find
that Connersville can take a deep breath again
and people who want to shop here will
and the lack of congestion will make others want to come
and they'll be the ones who will drive by your sign.
That's all fine and dandy for you people in town but what about our farmers.
Well I'd say
that a new highway could expand your food market potential both to the north
and south. Now you probably saw the story in route maps in last week's paper.
You'll be able to drive farther if you want to in today's time.
Now isn't that so most addicts.
Yes it is there is another benefit to you Mr King
that nobody else has mentioned today.
The economic development that's likely to take place along the new bypass route.
Other cities are found at industry tennis are located along a good highway outside
of town. Land values go up.
People move to new suburban homes where they can drive to work in a short time.
Mr Jacobson Yes mare.
Do you have any specific evidence where such development could take place.
Well it's a.
Already happened along Route one twenty eight the succumb fragile highway around
Boston and the New York Thruway the Gulf Freeway
and he was to a number of places in California.
Of course we can't guarantee it will happen here.
But there are plenty of examples to show what could happen.
And
that would have an effect on the property of everyone along the highway including
yours Mr King. That's a long time proposition.
Right now I'm a farmer
and I still want to know why you want my land for your road
when you could follow the president right away on land the state already owns.
But because we feel we must now all of our studies have shown
that your land of the best place for the bypass to go then you better figure out a
way for me to get my sixty had a cows back from the east pasture to the barn for
milk than was
that roadblock on the way because if you don't there's going to be a lot of awful
hungry youngsters in Connersville
We'll stay in this situation Mr King and if necessary.
We'll modify our plans to include an underpass. So you can move your cars.
Bob did you wish to add something.
Robert here is again Mr Jacobson I want to get something clear.
Is this bypass plan definite or. Proposed.
But it's the state's recommendation based on a careful study of all the engineering
facts. The social and economic data available to us.
This meeting is being held to invite any new information
and points of view concerning the economic effect of our recommendations.
Records being kept of your comments
that will be thoroughly reviewed before we can take any action then someone will
consider what I say about the bypass. Yes they will. There is still against it.
Yes misreads funded you would just say something. Are you there to answer I do.
And I'm Helen Rathburn the fourth grade teacher of the new elementary school.
I came here today just to listen I didn't expect to say anything.
But after hearing some of the arguments against the new highway proposal.
I would like to say just one thing.
Well I'm just amazed at the number of people here who seem to be thinking only
about themselves. But isn't there a lot more to it than that.
Well I'm a school teacher I I work all day with children and they're your children.
So instead of thinking of just what this new road and
and all the thousands of roads just like it are going to mean to you.
Shouldn't you give some thought as to what they all mean to your children your
children will have a better country to live in because of these new roads will
there be able to drive anywhere safely even from coast to coast without fear of in
front of them and and without fear of accidents.
Because the people that are planning
and building these new roads are our conforming to standards such as of controlled
access and and wider pavements more lanes and wider shoulders
and well all the things that Mr Jacobson's film talked about.
This highway means your children will be able to lead better lives in towns
and cities that have had a chance to expand and to grow from all
that some people have said here today.
You think that Canada Bill would just curl up
and die of the highway by Bass's the town. Well it seems to me.
We're just being blind to the facts just as we're being blind to our children's
future. Can't you see
that this highway means a whole new way of life for the children
and a way of life that we have a chance to help plan and and to build.
Well I think that the least we owe the children is the best
and the safest life we can give them and I think
that we owe them the right to live long enough.
To enjoy life.
Thank
you thank you very much Mr Rathbun.
ALS or anyone else. And. Andrea Loomis again.
I was about ready to give a detail report on the master street highway plan to
convince this group that the states proposal is going to help us not hurt us.
And so ladies and gentlemen.
It appears Congress Bill is joining the long list of cities
and towns across the nation already benefiting from the highway program.
And so it is with great pleasure that I congratulate you.
As these ribbon cutting ceremony is today.
Officially opens a new chapter in your long and proud history.
Thank
you.
C.F.C.'s daughter
has
a reality
that limits my
mom with me mommy wars
that we thought we we're
not going to have.
Well then I saw.
The seven hundred level of autism awareness.
I am glad you're not there man.