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Show THE ZEPHYR/ AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2003 In this book with McPhee’s superbly gifted, nearly unparalleled writing style gives the reader the history of the subject of geology; and the nature of much of our continent’s structure as he traveled and spent much time with four singularly prominent geologists across the U.S. along and near Interstate 80, from its start in New York state to its end in San Francisco. The Basin and Range country so near you is the subject alone of one of the books. (The future of that area is to be a great arm of the Pacific Ocean.) The book is available in a modestly priced paperback edition as well as in hard-cover. If you have not read it, ] am certain that it would be of great interest. It is probably better than any textbook ever printed to easily introduce a reader to Geology and the passage of vast eons of time leading to what we now observe. Thanks for your continued publishing of the Zephyr. AN OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR LEAVITT ABOUT RESPONSIBLE ROAD-BUILDING IN SE UTAH Dear Governor Leavitt, Tam writing with regard to the upcoming UDOT US 191 reconstruction project in San Juan County, scheduled to begin in a matter of weeks. First, if you intend to simply refer this letter to UDOT, please do not bother to waste their time or mine. While I am sure the Department of Transportation means well and is just "doing its job," their replies to my concerns have been painfully vague and ambivalent and sometimes downright disingenuous. I am writing to YOU. Chuck Miller Illinois In December at the public hearing in Monticello, I expressed in person and in writing my concerns about the project. I recently read the UDOT/URS responses on its web site---I would be embarrassed to print 'answers' like that. I will briefly sum up my concerns for you: P.S. In a recent issue of the Scientific American, Michael Shermer who does the column, "Sceptic," quoted a statement made recently by pre-eminent scientist, evolutionist and Oxford professor, Richard Dawkins: "The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.” Sounds like the Republican attitude toward wilderness preservation and the environment in general. 1) With a growing deficit, this project cannot be justified, or at least THE SCOPE OF IT. More cost-effective ways of mitigating problems are available. 2) UDOT attempted to justify the project by doing a "Traffic Capacity" study. Unfortunately (for UDOT) the study showed that the current road through Devils Canyon will be adequate through the year 2025! When I raised that point, UDOT simply replied that "traffic capacity is not a factor in this project." Of COURSE not, but only because the data didn't support their premise. LIKES HIS CONDO Jim, I was curious in your last Take it or Leave It that you were waxing romantic about alfalfa fields and seemingly condemning condos - I, of course, am one of those dastardly condo owners though not a “high dollar transient.” A couple of questions. If instead of the "sea of condo developments’ all of the new folks bought single family homes, would the Spanish Valley be better off. In other words, do you prefer the sprawl of large single family lots with its bigger appetite for the resources of the "rural west?” I would think a person with your preferences would be happy with high density development that chewed up mucho less countryside. Also, since | live in Moab and drive around the city Ill have to say that I can’t find a "sea of condo developments." There are limited number (maybe 6 or 7 at the most) in the City and in Spanish Valley, but no where near the number or the acreage of single family homes. Why the over the top characterization of condos? Do you have something against that lower impact type of housing? Livin’ small an lovin’ it. makes little sense to me. Like too many cows swimming in the same pond. It bothers me that into rural communities with not even the thought of augmenting the old economies and lifestyles---they simply want to remove them. Get rid of them....sort of the way we did to the Native Americans a century and more ago. Urban enviros seem to recognize NO VALUE in a rural lifestyle. And if you think Moab in 2003 offers a rural lifestyle....wow. As for “high density” developments chewing up less countryside, I haven't seen these new condo builders preserving any open space at all (with the exception perhaps of the Mill Creek Pueblos—-they mitigate! 4) lam particularly concerned about the SIZE of the construction zone, particularly in the canyon. It is currently one of the most beautiful sections of US 191 in southern Utah. The project will obliterate much of that scenery. As a URS rep at the hearing conceded, "It won't even resemble the canyon today." Right now, the road cut in the north end of the canyon is narrow---maybe 50 feet at the most. If UDOT adds a north and south of the project site) and then add 20 feet to each side of the new road before allowing vertical stone walls, the width of this project would be 88 feet. That's What I have a problem with is the population of Moab/Grand County growing from 10000 to 30000 in the next 25 years. It’s ONLY 2003. Orchard Terrace, Rim Village, Solano Valejo, Mill Creek Pueblos...it’s just starting. I have a problem with new residents fleeing the urban scene and then re-creating here the place they escaped from, with all the same problems---it come single vehicle accidents, and that of them, 74% were "deer-related." The EA located several "clusters" of deer-related accidents. Governor, NONE of those accidents, not ONE, was in the Devils Canyon itself where 90% of the construction costs will be incurred. As even the UDOT rep at the hearing acknowledged, "They're all up on the rim aren't they?" So UDOT is spending millions of dollars to "remove obstacles and increase sight distance" in a place where there are NO deer-related accidents to passing lane (12feet), TWO breakdown lanes (6 feet each as are the breakdown lanes Brooks Carter Moab, Utah urbanites 3) With traffic capacity no longer a usable reason, they turned to safety. They cited a number of accidents within the project area, noting that 98% of all accidents were left some open ground but if I recall, the land was in the flood plain and couldn't be built on. Show me the “open space” at Rim Village. So ifI had to choose (God help me) between five acre ranchettes or wall-to-wall-faux adobe condos? A little open space is better than none at all. But what a miserable choice....JS twice as wide as the current alignment, but probably unavoidable. HOWEVER, according to the maps in the EA and according to the URS rep at the public hearing, the area of total devastation, where every living thing will be bulldozed and removed is between 300 and 400 feet! It is design and construction OVERKILL of the worst kind. In my comments to UDOT/URS I asked if they could create computer-generated images of the proposed construction so we could all 'see' what the end result will be. Incredibly, UDOT replied that such images were "cost prohibitive." They can spend $10 million on this project, can pay for ‘traffic capacity’ studies, but they couldn't afford to let the citizens get a glimpse of the scope of this project??? Ridiculous. The bottom line, as is so often the case, is that UDOT decided to spend the money on this project, and THEN set out to justify it. It never did. It couldn’t. It's purely a political decision. Governor, I'm not even asking you to re-consider this project. Clearly it's going to happen. But at least take the time to look at the scope of the project and the damage, as planned, it is going to cause. Just once, I'd like to see UDOT use a little restraint and display an environmental conscience. It can re-build the road, add its passing lane and not obliterate everything in sight around it. DID THE ZEPHYR GLORIFY GRAFFITI? Dear Jim, I recently returned from a lengthy vacation, which started in Moab in mid-June. Thanks for listening, After looking at page 9 of The Zephyr in your June-July 2003 edition, I was disturbed Jim Stiles at what I saw, which is why I’m writing you, as hopefully you will alleviate my concern. The pictures accompanying "US 191 & the Forgotten Past,’ while perhaps not You can email Governor Mike Leavitt at: governor@state.ut.us necessarily glorifying or encouraging the defacing of walls and rocks, certainly didn’t seem to do anything to discourage it either. Perhaps Hole N” the Rock is the lone exception where travelers are encouraged to pen their inscriptions, but what bothered me is the potential that someone will get ideas of their own to inscribe their initials or whatever on ancient stones that are clearly not meant to be defaced. I noticed several signs throughout Arches National Park saying it was aa the law to write on stones, etc., but we also know that many people either don’t read rules, think they’re above the law, or simply have a lack of respect and/or common sense for what others hold sacred. In any event, I apologize for probably misreading your intent, and perhaps Hole N" the Rock is an anomaly to Moab insofar as inscriptions and the like are concerned. It’s just that the pictures depicted in your publication came across to this tourist as either an invitation, or perhaps planted a seed for others to think about creating their handiwork on a piece of nature either in Moab, or elsewhere. GIS Orrice Equipment Company COMPLETE OFFICE OUTFITTERS 575 &. Kane Creek Blvd. Moab, 259.5575 FAX: 259.5594 UT Verizon Cellular Phone Service * Supplies * Furniture * Calculators Cash Registers & Copiers * Typewriters & Computers * Networking Software * Scrapbooking Regards, Robert P. 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