Fight Urban Sprawl in Des Moines Iowa
- by: Neighborhood & Natural Recreation Preservation Project NNRPP.org
- recipient: Jamie Tunnell Bents Snyder & Associates
The NW 26th Street project/MLK Extension is a proposed north/south traffic corridor. Proponents of the project, including some Polk County Supervisors, city officials, and developers, want a four-lane extension of MLK, Jr. Parkway from Euclid Avenue in Des Moines north to Interstate 35/80, and interchange, and a widened NW 26th Street leading to IA 415 in the Ankeny area.
--Extending MLK Parkway up to the interstate would offer yet another path through the heart of Des Moines, encouraging urban sprawl.
--Further development of the area, especially this proposed road project, would exacerbate flooding risk, destroy and fragment wildlife habitat, and ruin a recreational corridor that adds quality of life to the half a million people who live in the Des Moines Metro Area.
--Middle and low-income neighborhoods along MLK Parkway in Des Moines would experience increase traffic and congestion, air pollution, loss of property values, and increased noise.
Rich Leopold, Director of The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, has gone on record opposing a road through the Des Moines River greenbelt, citing that it "will fragment this urban riparian greenbelt area and impact biological communities in the area, including impacts detrimental to the area flora and fauna, [resulting] in the loss of biological integrity."--March, 2008
The US Army Corps of Engineers, who own the land where the project is planned, wrote a letter opposing the project:
"...As urban development continues to cause direct and indirect impacts to Corps-managed land above and below the Saylorville Dam, it becomes evident the District's ability to carry out congressionally mandated missions becomes a greater challenge each year. The District contends that all Corps-managed lands identified for this project and not just the site-specific recreation and historic property resources, meet the Section 4(f) criteria. Further, these lands must be protected in their undeveloped state to meet statutory requirements and management goals which serve the local community, the Central Iowa region, and the Nation. The District's position remains that these lands are not available for the NW 26th Street Extension project"-- Gary R. Meden P.E. to Snyder & Associates dated March 27, 2008.
(to read the full letters go to nnrpp.org)
These statements, as well as letters of opposition from several neighborhood associations, environmental, and recreational organizations begs the question: Why is taxpayer money still being spent on this project? Just recently, Snyder & Associates hired an environmental consulting firm from the western region of the US named Herrera. When will this stop?
--Extending MLK Parkway up to the interstate would offer yet another path through the heart of Des Moines, encouraging urban sprawl.
--Further development of the area, especially this proposed road project, would exacerbate flooding risk, destroy and fragment wildlife habitat, and ruin a recreational corridor that adds quality of life to the half a million people who live in the Des Moines Metro Area.
--Middle and low-income neighborhoods along MLK Parkway in Des Moines would experience increase traffic and congestion, air pollution, loss of property values, and increased noise.
Rich Leopold, Director of The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, has gone on record opposing a road through the Des Moines River greenbelt, citing that it "will fragment this urban riparian greenbelt area and impact biological communities in the area, including impacts detrimental to the area flora and fauna, [resulting] in the loss of biological integrity."--March, 2008
The US Army Corps of Engineers, who own the land where the project is planned, wrote a letter opposing the project:
"...As urban development continues to cause direct and indirect impacts to Corps-managed land above and below the Saylorville Dam, it becomes evident the District's ability to carry out congressionally mandated missions becomes a greater challenge each year. The District contends that all Corps-managed lands identified for this project and not just the site-specific recreation and historic property resources, meet the Section 4(f) criteria. Further, these lands must be protected in their undeveloped state to meet statutory requirements and management goals which serve the local community, the Central Iowa region, and the Nation. The District's position remains that these lands are not available for the NW 26th Street Extension project"-- Gary R. Meden P.E. to Snyder & Associates dated March 27, 2008.
(to read the full letters go to nnrpp.org)
These statements, as well as letters of opposition from several neighborhood associations, environmental, and recreational organizations begs the question: Why is taxpayer money still being spent on this project? Just recently, Snyder & Associates hired an environmental consulting firm from the western region of the US named Herrera. When will this stop?
Due to social, cultural, and environmental impacts on the metropolitan area, we, the undersigned, oppose the expansion and extension of Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway from Euclid Avenue to I-35/80 and the creation of a new NW 26th Street interchange at I-35/80. We support protecting our neighborhoods and cultural resources from the impacts of expansion, and support preserving green space and the recreation corridor of the Des Moines River Valley.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionThanks for taking the time to read this.
See more petitions:
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.