When it comes to lighting one up, best to be careful what you wish for, lest politicians bogart the joint.

I'll freely admit there are times when I just plain don't get it on a personal level, and this bridge lighting and decorating idea is one of those times.

Note that I fully respect the viewpoint of proponents. Good luck in your efforts. Rock on. At this precise moment I'm not boarding that train, merely regretting we have no trains to board. However, I'm not above buying popcorn, having a seat in the bleachers and being a spectator. Maybe I'll change my mind. 

IT'S LIT: New Albany residents push for decorative lighting on Sherman Minton Bridge, by John Boyle (League of Tom May Voters)

NEW ALBANY — In the coming years, the Sherman Minton Bridge will get a facelift in the form of a major renewal project.

The rehabilitation will cost anywhere from $90 million to $105 million, with an expected start date in early 2021. How the timeline of the project will look is still up the air, as Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) officials are still in the process of deciding whether to move forward with a full closure or a partial closure.

While the looming prospect of impeding traffic flow on the major artery in any capacity is cause for concern to some residents and business owners, others are looking at the possibilities in a more creative light. This week, a Facebook page called "Light the Sherman" was launched, attracting over 200 likes in the few days it's been active.

The move appears to have been inspired by the Sherman Minton's sister bridge, the Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis, Tenn. While that bridge shares a similar design, there is one obvious difference — it has decorative lighting, similar to that found on the Big Four Bridge in Jeffersonville.

The idea has gotten quite a bit of attention on social media, with the page organizers calling on people to convince local members of Congress to allocate money for the installation ...

Although I remain open to persuasion, bridge lighting strikes me as a want, as opposed to a need. It's also a distraction from other more genuine needs.

I believe any money generated to pay for creatively lighting the Sherman Minton bridge -- by the way, where exactly is this money coming from? -- would be better spent scattered among numerous enhancement projects along the waterfront, rather then illuminating it from above like a gaudy billboard (see photo above).

To me, this is another example of the One Big Grandiose Project syndrome, rather than the two dozen smaller projects actually impelled by participatory grassroots partnerships, with the problem being that OBGPs tend to move with lightning speed away from the grassroots, and into the hands of usual design suspects like HWC Engineering or their bridge lighting equivalents.

The result usually is generic pay-to-play pablum like baseball Hall of Famer Jim "Do You Know I Live in Carmel?" Rice's HWC Market Street Mussolini tribute.

In this vein, tourism's Russell Goodwin makes a very good point in the newspaper article.

Studies have shown that such aesthetic ventures do often translate into more visitors and money spent by them in the local economy. Russell Goodwin of SoIN Tourism said the key factor is collaboration and communication between project officials and local stakeholders, such as residents and business owners.

Let's not forget the templates and schemata of "collaborative" public input meetings in New Gahania ...

Joshua Poe explains how those "public input" meetings are kept meaningless to maintain pre-determined outcomes.

As noted: I'm open to a rethink.

Until the evidence is mustered, I'm sticking to the imperative of many small improvements rather than one big one -- and don't use the Big Four in Jeffersonville as a counter-example, because it's the "big project" exception that proves the rule.

The Big Four Bridge is all about function as a non-automotive mobility device, and this function would remain completely intact without lighting (which cost more than $2 million) or the dreadfully redundant and intrusive classical music playing halfway across.

The Big Four's logic is applicable not to the Sherman Minton, but the K & I. That's the mobility project in need of prioritization.

Nationalize that mutha, now. I bet President Sanders will.

In New Albany, do we really pay attention to what we claim to be paying attention to?

Horbovetz's point is well-taken in the context of my own blogging experience. It has been only recently that posts about what I'd consider genuine matters of importance in New Albany -- TASER threats from intemperate bureaucrats, future city hall cost overruns, the mayor's deforestation fetish, City Hall's street grid ineptitude -- even get close to the readership levels accorded restaurants and "fun and cool" stuff.

But ... it's getting better. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to vote.

IT'S TIME TO START PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE CLAIM TO PAY ATTENTION TO, by Arian Horbovetz (The Urban Phoenix via Strong Towns)

 ... We all love happy, positive, sense-enticing news that makes us feel good about our communities. In fact, I truly believe we need more of this kind of positivity with regard to our cities. Community engagement and a feeling personal ownership over the places we live are the first steps toward empowering our urban cores and our neighborhoods.

But, as with everything, we need balance. As we rejoice with the great stories of new restaurants and fun events in our cities, let’s remember that our attentions also need to focus on the complexities and intricacies of our cities, some of which are difficult to digest. Issues of poverty, equity, transportation, jobs, community health and diversity continue to be overshadowed by the bright lights of “progress” in our city centers ...

"The Gig Economy Celebrates Working Yourself to Death."

I'm not sure how many chapters have been compiled; perhaps this is the 356th in a series called "My Love/Hate Relationship with America."

That damned drunken stork ...

The Gig Economy Celebrates Working Yourself to Death, by Jia Tolentino (The New Yorker)

 ... At the root of this is the American obsession with self-reliance, which makes it more acceptable to applaud an individual for working himself to death than to argue that an individual working himself to death is evidence of a flawed economic system. The contrast between the gig economy’s rhetoric (everyone is always connecting, having fun, and killing it!) and the conditions that allow it to exist (a lack of dependable employment that pays a living wage) makes this kink in our thinking especially clear. Human-interest stories about the beauty of some person standing up to the punishments of late capitalism are regular features in the news, too. I’ve come to detest the local-news set piece about the man who walks ten or eleven or twelve miles to work—a story that’s been filed from Oxford, Alabama; from Detroit, Michigan; from Plano, Texas. The story is always written as a tearjerker, with praise for the person’s uncomplaining attitude; a car is usually donated to the subject in the end. Never mentioned or even implied is the shamefulness of a job that doesn’t permit a worker to afford his own commute.

Marohn to POTUS: "We're going to make investments in infrastructure with the systems we have, not the ones we wish we had. There are ways to get better results now."

The excerpt here is intended as a tease only. You'll want to read Marohn's statement at the point of origin, because the links included provide a wealth of information as well as opportunities for further study.

Forget POTUS.

This letter needs to be read by all public officials in New Albany and Floyd County, and they also should consider visiting Strong Towns on a regular basis. Something solid is on display there every day.

A Letter to POTUS on Infrastructure, by Charles Marohn (Strong Towns)

 ... What do we do today? To paraphrase former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, we're going to make investments in infrastructure with the systems we have, not the ones we wish we had. There are ways to get better results now.

• We need to prioritize maintenance over new capacity. With so many non-performing assets, it's irresponsible to build additional capacity. Project proposers will try to add additional capacity with their maintenance projects. If it is truly warranted, it can and should be funded locally. Cities need to discover ways to turn such investments into positive ROI projects, a process the federal government can only impede.
• We must prioritize small projects over large. Small projects not only spread the wealth, they have much greater potential for positive returns with far lower risk. Large projects exceed their budgets more often and with greater severity -- dollars and percentage -- than smaller projects. A thousand projects of a million dollars or less have far more financial upside than a single billion-dollar project ever will. It's administratively easier to do fewer, big projects, but that is a bureaucratic temptation we need to overcome.
• We should spend far more below ground than above. Many of our sewer and water systems are approaching 100 years old. When these core pipes fail, the problems cascade throughout the system. Technology may soon dramatically change how we use our roads and streets making investments in expansion there obsolete, but water and sewer will still flow through pipes as it has for thousands of years. We should spend at least $5 below ground for every $1 we spend above.
• We should prioritize neighborhoods more than 75 years old. We've modeled hundreds of cities across the country and in every one the neighborhoods with the highest investment potential are the ones that existed before World War II. These are established places where small investments have a huge impact. Most investments in neighborhoods built after World War II are simply bailouts, pouring good money after bad.

"Moving forward" in year-end interview, Mayor Jeff Gahan says absolutely nothing about two-way streets.

Nope. Zilch. Cerro. Not a word.

But there's this, as it pertains to the construction of a recreational complex at the old Hoosier Panel property:

“I feel really good about what that’s going to do to the property values in that area, and again it’s an improvement to the quality of life in New Albany,” Gahan said of the recreational center.

If you live on or near one of downtown New Albany's one-way arterial streets, which are not sufficiently important to be so much as mentioned in this interview, isn't about time you began using the Q(uality of Life) word and asking City Hall and various boards that dictate infrastructure:

But what about OUR quality of life and property values? 

It seems increasingly evident that they're not going to mention it to you, first. Why? Because is  question they wish not to here, much less reply to.

Read it and weep. Louisville's supposedly Possibility City. I believe this makes us Oblivious City.

STATE OF NEW ALBANY: Gahan reflects, looks ahead; Mayor reaches midway point of term, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune)

MOVING FORWARD

The next two years will be busy in terms of projects and improvements to New Albany, Gahan said.

There’s a planned expansion of the downtown Farmers Market, the establishment of a dog park and a project slated for this summer to rebuild some of the city’s flood gates and controls for the first time in 60 years.

Gahan also hinted that the administration plans on working with the council to update zoning codes in 2014.

An estimated $1.8 million project to improve Main Street is also scheduled for this year. Gahan said the administration is also moving forward with design plans to upgrade McDonald Lane.

He credited city employees for being dedicated to their jobs, and thanked New Albany residents for giving him a chance to serve.

“New Albany is a really great place to live when you compare it to other communities,” Gahan said. “I think what really sets us apart is we have a strong mix of friendly people.”

From NA Shadow Council: A city council blueprint, or just a list?

Barring unexpected breaking news, NAC is taking a quick breather. See you on the 1st.

I find it devilishly hard to keep up with the local news during the period around Christmas and New Year’s. The holiday season is prime time for our business; many hours must be spent at work; and, even if things are running smoothly, there'll always one or the other Progressive Pint to "consider" during the down portion of the daily schedule.

Incoming mayor Doug England was sworn in on Friday, as were the other municipal winner's from the November election. Mayor England has spent recent weeks making pertinent appointments, and here are a few of the media links detailing them.

England names Carl Malysz deputy mayor (Tribune)

(Mickey) Thompson to run New Albany Street Department (Tribune)

(Kay) Garry returning as New Albany controller (Tribune)

England appoints campaign manager (John Wilcox) operations director (Courier-Journal)

Meanwhile, with the Gang of Four council faction obstructionists finally torn asunder, it is time to begin speculation as to the new council’s potential impact and its internal alignments, which will go a long way toward shaping the legislative entity's work. We turn to the NA Shadow Council blog for this conversation starter, which is reprinted here in its entirety.

----

A Blueprint? or Just a List?


At least a "rump" segment of the incoming council has pledged to seek the following goal:

To help make New Albany a more productive and progressive city.

The document making this declaration is making the rounds, at least in the progressive community, and is the result of numerous pre-term discussions among the incumbent and newly elected council members. It comes with a list of concerns to be addressed in the next few months and in the next four years. From what I've been told, it's not intended to be exclusive, but the council members want to start the discussion forthwith and are actively seeking public comment and assistance in addressing them.

Without further ado, here it is:

Accountability
City Beautification
Enforcement/Laws
Education/City Off
Image/City
Sewers
Communication
Re-organization/Dept
Traffic Flow
Environment
Public Involvement
Parks
Service
Size of Gov
Industrial
Leadership
Business
Revenue
Constituents
Spring St. Hill
Housing
Streets
Drugs/Crime
Manpower
Budget
Empty Space
Railroad
Teamwork
Dept. Heads
Infrastructure
Downtown
City Hall
Rental Prop

The people (your representatives) who generated this list want YOU to rank these concerns and start the conversation. Do it here, do it there, do it anywhere. Call your council member, post on this or another blog, attend the Jan. 7 organizational meeting of the new council. But DO participate in this. I think it's admirable that the council is already at work on a new vision for New Albany.

Over the coming weeks, we'll give you our thoughts. If you find the "concerns" list a little cryptic or if you never knew these were concerns, we'll try to edify you, "to the best of our ability."