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This letter was written September 17, 1998, by Marvin Bartel (published a few days later), posted to the Internet, June, '99 There is local mythology and history concerning the political feasibility about the use of the term "bypass". The word itself has become a stumbling block for local government. Apparently, certain Goshen merchants in the past were very fearful of being bypassed by customers. They were dead set against any plans for a bypass for Goshen. While I can't blame them, it helps me understand our traffic troubles. I have studied the consultant's traffic proposals, the state's projections, and I can only come to one conclusion. Without a bypass, many more streets in the Maple City will soon be widened to four and five lanes. These include Kercher Road, Lincoln Avenue, Plymouth, College, North Main, South Main, and College Avenue. Even residential streets like Eighth Street will become too congested for two lanes. Traffic projections indicate Pike Street will need at least seven lanes very soon. Traffic moves faster on SR 15 since it was widened to four lanes at the college campus. However, pedestrian safety has decreased. A student was seriously hurt. He had to be transferred to Fort Wayne for lengthy hospitalization. In the interest of vehicle movement and safety, we are sacrificing the safety and quality of life of neighborhoods, schools, parks, and playgrounds. In the past, bypass delay tactics by business interests effectively prevented any planning. Much of the now thriving commercial development located farther out. Of course they located on the same thoroughfare because business projections indicated great traffic (originally retained by efforts of the older merchants). In the meantime, the thoroughfare through-town traffic including all manner of manufactured houses, menacing loads of jagged house frames, and eighteen wheelers has done much to destroy the desirability of shopping with these merchants who in the first place did not want to be bypassed by a bypass. In reality, many of us now bypass locally owned establishments, fearing and cursing traffic as we go, because the shopping experience is more pleasant with better inventory in the newer stores out on the edges of town. Unfortunately, the older locally owned establishments in the downtown district, lacking the sizable backing of Corporate America, are now in a lose-lose situation. Because of the overall competitive environment and large corporate funding, locally owned and operated business can find it very difficult to compete in the same businesses as mega-store companies. Additionally, congested, noisy, polluted, and hazardous streets make it more desirable for us to shop elsewhere. I would still be attracted to a quieter, safer, more pleasant downtown with specialized local merchants who know me. Coupled with nearby healthy neighborhoods this could save our historic district. It takes longer to build a by-pass and the city would probably have to take on the responsibility for the through town business routes, so local governments and the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) officials are still saying that bypass planning and designing should not be started now. On the other hand, the late Philip T. Warner, long-time state representative from Goshen, in his last year of life on February 10, 1998, wrote a letter to Commissioner Wiley of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). In it he expressed concern about the proposed widening of U.S. 33 from CR 40 to Main Street. He wrote, "The first priority of INDOT with regards to the traffic flow around Goshen should be the completion of a bypass around Goshen . . ." His letter is in the Goshen Public Library. INDOT officials have made a major street widening proposal and they hope to build it, but they have also been very open and receptive to citizen input. They are listening. They have never before received so much overwhelmingly negative comment regarding one of their "improvement" proposals. . . . No matter where we live or work in Goshen - no matter how we feel about a bypass, this is one of most important issues our city and county has to grapple with. Even though many have spoken and written, our city
and county governments and MACOG are not convinced to request a bypass
from INDOT. We need to reassure local officials that "bypass" should no
longer be a feared idea. Its time has come. Without a bypass, traffic is
destroying our city. . . . It is good to maintain and improve the roads
we have, but we have to face the larger trends as well. When will we have
enough traffic through the heart of Goshen? When will planning begin?
www.bartelart.com 2-98 Letter to The Goshen News Letter State Senator Riegsecker Other Links
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