We must not allow expansion for expansion’s sake
On June 20th Jim Jacobi of Progress 64 West proposed that Hwy 141 completion represents “the very best investment this area can make with funds available through the ARRA”. If Mr. Jacobi had a case for Hwy 141 completion, he’d have presented it. He did not.
Funds for Hwy 141 completion were never a priority until taxpayers could be stiffed to pay for it. If a $20 billion economic benefit and 9,000 jobs really existed, then the completed Hwy 141 corridor would be humming with traffic today. This is nothing more than an excuse to bloat a nascent version of the Hwy 141 project, to rapidly spend millions in taxpayer dollars while complying with the letter, not the intent, of federal stimulus expenditure law.
Mr. Jacobi’s argument for Hwy 141 completion, weak as it is, would be merely insulting if he didn’t have the temerity to claim that our children will be safer. Our schoolyards will be 3 to 5 minutes away from Hwy 40 via an expanded Hwy 141. Every pedophile in St. Louis County gets quick and easy access to our residential areas.
Americans live with the filthiest water, soil, and air in our nation’s history. We must insist on complete environmental assessment and safe re-development . Tell St. Louis County and your city hall you oppose Hwy 141’s bloated expansion.
Dr. Mary Malast
Chesterfield
Maybe the reason why she doesn’t want 141 expanded to the north is the same reason West County voters don’t want Metrolink expansion, the criminal element. I can see it now, thugs and burglars thumbing a ride back toward “crime ridden ” North County while hoisting flat screen TV’s under their other arm. How much money was wasted building the Page extension so that St. Chuck people do not have to live where they work? The cost of Hwy. 141 expansion is nothing compared to what Page cost. As for her pedophile comment, hopefully they will route 141 away from any catholic churches. Hey, I can say stupid things too, at least I am not a doctor saying them.
Your opposition to the 141 expansion loses all credibility when you say pedophiles will have quick and easy access to our residential homes. That has to be one of the dumbest comments I’ve ever read on STLtoday. And there are plenty of dumb comments. Also St. Louis is well known for having exception water, even winning the blind taste test of governors just last year I believe. As with any development project, there are going to be pros and cons. Your points, however, seem totally baseless to me. And Didymus, I know you’re just joking but there is a Catholic church right at 141 and Olive. I went to grade school there. Great school.
Having a sister who is a highway engineer for the state, I understand some of this better than most. The federal government is trying to help stimulate the economy by creating more jobs. Since roads are a public function, it goes to say that adding money for road construction can put more people to work. Most highway funding comes from the federal budget anyway.
For the letter writers question of, “If a $20 billion economic benefit and 9,000 jobs really existed, then the completed Hwy 141 corridor would be humming with traffic today.” Plain and simple, until recently, the funding wasn’t there. Now that the federal government is allocating more money for infrastructure, roads fall into that category, the money is now there. I’m sure the construction plans have been finished for years waiting for the money.
2keysmatts compared it to the Page expansion and I will use that as an example of the advance planning. The Page expansion will merge with Hwy 94 and split off again after just a few miles. Once it splits off, it’s taking off to join Hwy 64 near Lake St Louis. The state already owns all the property for the length of the Page expansion all the way to Hwy 64 but lacks the funding for the construction to build it all. The 141 expansion spoken about has probably been in the works for many years and the letter writer was just not aware of it.
Build more roads with money now and no plan for funding of maintenance…
Brilliant!!!
“Funds for Hwy 141 completion were never a priority until taxpayers could be stiffed to pay for it.” Who ELSE would pay for it? Funding for this project wasn’t a “priority” until funding for this project became available. Simple as that…
“If a $20 billion economic benefit and 9,000 jobs really existed, then the completed Hwy 141 corridor would be humming with traffic today.” It’s “humming” with cars stacked and idling, and with nowhere to go once they reach Olive. The forecasted economic development and jobs could not occur until the Howard Bend Levee was improved, and this work didn’t start until 2001.
“…complying with the letter, not the intent, of federal stimulus expenditure law.” The law clearly states as one of its purposes: “To invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits.” This project fully complies with the letter AND the intent of the law.
“Every pedophile in St. Louis County gets quick and easy access to our residential areas.” As other have stated, this ludicrous “argument” removes ANY credibility from the writer.
“Americans live with the filthiest water, soil, and air in our nation’s history.” A history about which the writer clearly knows absolutely NOTHING. Just go back 75 or 100 years and take a look.
The “doctor” is guilty of malpractice…