Saturday, May 04, 2013

News and Tribune thinks Rep. Clere's bridges, aesthetics and tolls really aren't so keen, after all.

Make no mistake, this editorial is appreciated, if for no other reason than the a annoyance it brings to the local oligarchy. After all, the Kerry Stemlers of our community are accustomed to barking orders, not being questioned.

But something else should be said, too: Where were you two or so years ago, when we really needed you?

The News and Tribune editorial board is comprised of Publisher Bill Hanson, Editor Shea Van Hoy and Assistant Editor Chris Morris. Better late than never, I suppose.

OUR OPINION: If you’re going to do it, do it right

The Ohio River Bridges Project is massive. It’s projected to cost more than $1.6 billion and will take about three years to complete, construction officials say.

With primary construction kick-off just weeks away, some of the smaller details about the project are getting scrutiny, like the bridges approach and overpass aesthetics recently questioned by city of Jeffersonville officials ...

SNIP to the chase.

... issues like the disparity in the quality of aesthetic touches — let alone the fact that Hoosiers will be paying a disproportionate amount of tolling for the new bridges — can do nothing but make Southern Indiana residents feel put-upon. How else should Hoosiers be expected to feel given the facts?

But Wingfield does bring up a good point — there’s still time for Southern Indiana residents and officials to do something about the slight, on aesthetics at least.

We’re calling for construction officials to set aside funding to make the Indiana portion of the project uniform and on par with the planned aesthetics in Kentucky. We urge readers to write INDOT officials and their area state legislators calling on them to take action. And while they’re at it, it wouldn’t hurt to talk about the still-undecided tolling plan.

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