Speck in New Albany, Part Three: "Hiring Mr. Speck is meant to close public discussion of traffic flow and lane direction."

Upon hearing of the Board of Public Works decision to engage Jeff Speck to recommend sweeping changes sure to be opposed by elderly Democratic Party grandees, a friend sent me a series of e-mails. I've combined them into one insightful, illustrated narrative.

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I have binders full of studies, citizen interviews and redevelopment plans hired, paid for and ultimately ignored by a certain city, it's various administrations and it's planning department. This will most likely be just another example in a long line of time buying, opportunity wasting and tax monies cynically spent. The really thick comb bound report showing the sparkly, glittering carbon fiber future of New Albany's "Eighth Street Corridor" must have cost every citizen five to ten bucks apiece. Ten years or so later, house after house on the east side of Eighth Street still sports plywood and Tyvek® as their window and exterior wall coverings of choice.

In other words, hiring Mr. Speck is meant to close public discussion of traffic flow and lane direction.

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In a similar vein. here are the questions I submitted to David Duggins this morning. When he answers them, I'll publish the replies. Do you have questions of your own? Let us know, and they will be forwarded.

In the coming days, I'm resolving to ask you direct questions, and blog the answers. If you wish to opt out, that's fine.

Let's begin with Grace Schneider's coverage in the CJ.

"Duggins said the city would not implement any recommendations that would reduce traffic capacity."

1. If so, what's the point of bringing Speck in?

Grace: "Speck tweeted Tuesday morning that he’s excited to work in New Albany and that his work “won’t be a ‘traffic study.’ But traffic will be studied.”

2. Didn't the mayor insist there had to be a traffic study before considering any modifications?

And two others:

3. Customarily we'd be hearing John Rosenbarger comment publicly on these matters. Who is riding point for city government when it comes to the Speck study?

4. Most of us have known about it for a while, but was Grace's article the first mention of the $2.5 million in federal money available to implement the recommendations (assuming the aforementioned and disturbing disclaimer that they don't reduce traffic capacity)?

I have no intention of closing this blog's discussion of traffic issues pending Speck's arrival. If anything, it's the time for enhanced dialogue, especially since Erika's against it ... but she's in favor of the farmers market expenditures, even though the farmers don't sell cigarettes and Bud Light, probably because one of her ten "women of the year" supports flushing money down the market stall.

What happens if Councilperson Baird ends up supporting street grid changes, as I imagine she might? What will Erika do then, be herself?

As David Thrasher (happy birthday, Dave) reminds us: In New Albany, we're all here because we're not all there.

Part One, today
Part Two, today