No one will ever convince me that a walking path (that will serve only a small fraction of citizens) is the best use of tax dollars in this city. BOONDOGGLE.
Former mayor-president in jail. Current mayor-president thinks walk-ability and bike paths are more important than drainage, traffic, crime.
Two projects that would bring positive impacts to north and south Lafayette- Building a bridge over Vermilion Rv. extending S. City Pkwy will be much more useful to tens of thousands of taxpayers. Adding a service road on northside of I-10 from N. University to Amb. Caffery will spur development/further expand tax base. I-10 frontage is a mostly ignored, underdeveloped asset to the City-Parish.
All about visibility. Sub-surface doesn't see improvements until a 2016 event. Forget about some path no one will use, instead fix that section of Johnston in front of Fatima. And bring Johnston into the 21st century with some road lighting that is actually from the 21st century.
If walk-ability is in the best interest of that part of town, then let that part of town pay for it. We currently do two other "special tax districts" that benefit particular zip codes.
If, as Jeremy Bentham posited, democracy is the greatest good for the greatest number, then we would be far better served doing taxation that directly impacts the districts that most benefit from having such a walkway.
And while we are at it, let us look at how UL would benefit from such a walkway.
As previously stated, Saturday morning granola folks are not typically stadium or ballpark attendees. And while it is admirable to believe we could cross-market to those folks, it is highly likely they would take one look at the menus in our venues and never return.
Who in his right mind would think we could ever get farmers' market-goers to sub-in cheese and jalapeno nachos in place of the sprouts and seeds upon which they typically subsist?
Why would this project be worthwhile to citizens whose feet shall never chance to tread upon it? For aesthetic value? To enhance our community's appearance? None of us are buying that.
And while they're at it, try refreshing to various lane markers around the city. Most are worn out, faded, and you can't see them at night especially if the road is wet. North University from I-10 to Bertrand still isn't finished, you can not tell what lane you're in almost anytime. Congress isn't much better...
Under the surface improvements are the most logical.
Reality is though, that no one ever gets a thank you for the prevention of tragic events that never happened years later.
Astetics is the #1 draw for anything that ever existed.
In reality (though not logically) usage is irrelevant.
Knowing a tourist can go to Avery Island is invaluable to the community even though 85 percent of the community has never been to Avery Island.
An unused walkway or an underused park is more astetic than an underground flood pipe.
Which is crazy, because people will move to a beautiful flood zone before the move to an ugly safe haven.
Astetics always wins, even when it is ignored.
It all comes down to who owns the land. The S. College extension is a great example. Allegedly only needed to buy out 10 homes on north side of the river. Never happened, connected properly owners prevented the project, no longer on the books.
When the day comes the connector is under construction, then people who may remember this fumble will be angry.
A food festival every home game demands a "walk off" trail.
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