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This letter was written February 17, 1998, by Marvin Bartel (published a few days later), posted to the Internet, June, '99 The Managing Editor The Goshen News I am writing to thank Sam Willits, President, Goshen Chamber of Commerce, for encouraging us to write INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) regarding their plan to widen US 33 through central and southeast Goshen. His letter appeared here on Monday, February 16. I have written INDOT. In this letter I wish to clarify the position of my letter to INDOT. Mr. Willits states that, ". . . .businesses and residences made and continue to make location decisions based on proximity to U.S. 33." Yes, I am a residential property owner on U.S. 33. As such, I admit a selfish motivation as it is only natural to want to protect our homes. However, I was not so naïve as to purchase this property because of its proximity to the highway as your letter suggests. The property has other virtues like beautiful old oak trees, ample space, and an ample buffer of residential zoning. Given the size of the lot and the forest, the traffic noise has been an acceptable tradeoff. We have taken pride in the chance to do a small part in fostering a scenic and aesthetically pleasing city entrance on Goshen's southeast side. This INDOT proposal, if materialized, will pave some forest, will make our home more noisy and we will offer fewer century old oak trees for the joy of all who pass. More importantly, the whole community looses much more than it gains by this ill advised "improvement." Your letter, Mr Willits, helps me understand how this proposal came about in the first place. It is> Transfer interrupted!ou feel your business depends on it. Therefore it is up to rest of us to come to rescue of city hall in this time of crisis. It is clear to me that the Chamber of Commerce does not represent the interests of the average Goshen citizen. They are by nature a lobby group for business interests. This is their right. At INDOT's public hearing on February 3, none of the Chamber members had the courage to stand and be counted in favor of this proposal. Many others spoke against the INDOT proposal. The only two persons who spoke publicly in favor of the INDOT proposal were employees of the city. Inexplicably, the mayor and the city council had another more important meeting to attend.To be fair, I personally know Chamber of Commerce members who do not support this INDOT project, so I don't mean to criticize all of them. But I do differ with those Chamber members who continually oppose any plan to reduce the high volume vehicular traffic through the city's heart. I differ with those who think the heart of Goshen benefits from property condemnation, more mid-town pavement, and a continuation of the hazardous noisy traffic on city streets. INDOT says they will also build a limited access bypass. But first they want to build this $32+ million U.S. 33 widening project. Their estimated cost does not include a railroad overpass on Madison, without which the project is impractical. The railroads are predicting a doubling of trains on this line because of recent company mergers. For many years there have been various traffic solutions including bypasses proposed. These would have relieved the downtown of the menacing trucks, doublewide houses, and other through traffic. I believe it is the waffling and obstructive tactics of certain Chamber of Commerce members that has brought us to end of the century with last century's traffic plan. I have lived in Goshen on U.S. 33 for over 25 years. Each time proposals have been advanced to move the traffic away from downtown, these proposals have been discouraged by our "downtown civic leaders." This has resulted in virtual paralysis in city and state government while Goshen's congestion simply got worse and worse. Because of selfish political maneuvering by certain Chamber members, we now live in a city where we can be killed by a house while we cross Main Street. For the sake of enticing a few accidental tourists to stop and shop, they have convinced the state to condemn property, widen the separations between fine old homes, and encourage the slummification process in the heart of Goshen's finest historic residential district. As our country once more prepares for a war that is bound to punish helpless citizens, I am reminded of the unfortunate American bomber pilot in Vietnam who testified that they had to destroy the village in order to save it. Over the years, the Goshen Chamber of Commerce has also come very close to destroying the heart of Goshen in order to save it. Traffic noise and congestion is a slow chronic insidious toxin, not as obvious as bombs. Paranoia about giving up a few vehicles from the downtown is now resulting in the most misguided "improvement" that can be imagined. Aren't the businesspersons aware of how angry this INDOT project would make their potential customers and patrons? If this misguided plan succeeds, the good customers and patrons of Goshen will certainly have second thoughts about any continued support of these businesses. Sometimes priorities get confused. Wisely, (and by law) INDOT has asked for citizen input. Citizens, please help them know your wishes. If, as they say, the bypass is inevitable, why put it off? Encourage them to build the bypass first. A bypass will reduce city traffic. Of course nobody wants to pave over farmland, but unfortunately there is no longer any other economically feasible alternative for our community. A bypass can avoid routing trucks on neighboring county roads. It gets them off of city streets. It will save properties along Madison Avenue. It will save 3rd Street. It will reduce hazards near the High School and Chandler Elementary School. It will make the downtown and nearby neighborhoods more pleasant than they are now. This INDOT U.S. 33 proposal to double the width is a concrete thing to be against. We think a bypass is obviously something to support. A Business Route U.S. 33 can continue to serve Goshen with modest and timely improvements. I join Mr. Willitz in urging you to send your opinions to INDOT, Public Hearings Office, Room N755, 100 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN 462504. They need to hear all our opinions. Your town needs reasonable unbiased input. Special interests have convinced them to prepare this proposal. Tell INDOT what you think. You may e-mail them: usidt285@ibmmail.com. Their fax number is: 317-232-0238. Act now to save Goshen from destroying itself in order to save itself. Marvin Bartel
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