Comments on: Op-Ed: We can do better than widening Alston

By: nicomachus

nicomachus — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:00:54 +0000

Seth, I agree that underground utilities are not just expensive, but appear to many right now as a pipe-dream in Durham. We will continue to enjoy only mediocre urban-redesign, however, if that’s all we demand of our elected officials and developers. Other cities our size have buried their utility cables, and at equally great expense.

How much are the hundreds years old oaks in Durham worth? How much is our landscape worth? How do we even begin to answer such questions? Are we willing to pay that price?

By: NC DOT vs the people of Durham : nicomachus.net

NC DOT vs the people of Durham : nicomachus.net — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:56:57 +0000

[...] I later wrote a Herald Sun Op-Ed on this [...]

By: seth vidal

seth vidal — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:48:38 +0000

Phil,
The urbanism pictures of what alston could look like are gorgeous. However, I would wager that underground utilities are a pipe dream anywhere in durham. Folks in watts-hillandale have been asking about them for quite some time now (if only to reduce power outages during storms) and the answer has always been that it is too expensive to do.

Though I would love see all the other changes you suggest. Maybe one more though:

Maybe make the on-street parking the physical barrier for a bike lane all the way down alston. Just like you see in lovely european cities.

-sv

By: John Schelp

John Schelp — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:42:50 +0000

15 March 2008

Dear Mayor Bell and Council members,

I strongly agree with Scott Harmon and many others asking very good questions (see below).

Building a multi-lane through-way will divide the community, not help it.

Gary Kueber offers a workable alternative: “shift the state money to Fayetteville St., and let NCDOT do their unitary suburban highway design down by Martin Luther King. Then shift the city money that would have been spent on Fayetteville to Alston – so that the city can design a better road. Combined with streetscape funds from the Office of Economic Development, we could build a functional and beautiful street that would be the envy of other parts of Durham.”

With community opposition rising, why the sudden rush?

You can read more reaction here…

http://endangereddurham.blogspot.com/2008/03/highway-style-alston-avenue-rears-its.html

http://uplifteastdurham.blogspot.com/2008/02/alston-ave-widening.html

http://www.bullcityrising.com/2008/03/alston-ave-wide.html

http://dependableerection.blogspot.com/2008/03/alston-ave-widening.html

all best,
John

> Mayor Bell and Council Members,
>
> I¹m catching up on reading about the proposed Alston Avenue widening, and
> I¹m stunned that this project is being considered in its current form. How
> could the same leaders that support such innovative best practices in urban
> planning in our downtown be in support of this plan?
> The suggestion that
> the half-freeway is needed to restore economic
> vitality to the area is
> unbelievable. Does anyone see the irony that at the same time we¹re getting
> ready to spend millions of dollars to fix one
> mistake (the loop in downtown)
> that we¹re getting ready to make the same mistake, right in the middle of
> one of the most vulnerable neighborhoods in our
> City?
>
> Why does East Durham deserve less quality urban
> planning than downtown? Why
> are nationally recognized best practices in road design and transportation
> being ignored? How much damage has to be done to East Durham before we
> start trying to create an environment that actually sustains the residents
> and merchants of that neighborhood?
>
> Please stop pushing this plan and let DOT find some other neighborhood to ruin.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Scott Harmon
> [downtown Durham]