Explaining The Illogical

Mr. Spock once said:

"It is curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want."

Nothing makes sense to me any more with DRIC. Where is the logic in what they are doing? Just ask a few simple questions:

1) Would you take a chance of building a bridge where there might be salt mines and brine wells if there is an alternative, safe location? ie "If a sinkhole were to develop under, or near the foundations of a major bridge, like one that would be needed to span the Detroit River, it could be disastrous."

2) Why would anyone spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to drill holes hoping to find a good spot. ie "This work will help understand how close a bridge footing could be placed to the known brine wells."

3) If there is no risk, why is there a peer review panel of 6 Candian experts and 6 American experts set up to review the data

4) Why spend millions extra and take a chance to build the bridge in the risky area ie "investigations will lead us to develop mitigation measures that will allow for the construction of a crossing in this area."

The only logical explanation of all of this is the desire to wipe out the Bridge Co. no matter what the cost, no matter what the risk even though that the Bridge Co. location was ranked as "as the first or second best alternative based on its thorough analysis."

I was reading the US Minutes of the DRIC LAC community group and had a thought about "fairness" as well for people on both sides of the river. Perhaps the Governor can explain the logic to her consitutents in SW Detroit since she killed the Downriver crossings for the benefit of those communitites. I think what is being said is illogical since she seems to have left Delray out to dry it seems

Forgetting about the Bridge Co. alleging misrepresentation by DRIC for the time being, the Ambassador Bridge proposal was kicked out on the following basis to help the people of Sandwich supposedly:

• "Upon questioning, Mr. Corradino explained the reasons for eliminating the construction of a second span of the Ambassador Bridge from further study. The U.S. team of the Partnership actually ranked the construction as the first or second best alternative based on its thorough analysis. However, the Canada team of the Partnership concluded that the impact of a second span, the plaza and connections were just not acceptable. The Partnership understood that no one side of the River would bear the undue burden of an alternative.
  
  Because the burden was unacceptable on the Canadian side, the Partnership eliminated the proposal. Mr. Corradino recommended visiting the DRIC website to access all analysis materials on the alternatives."

Now, where DRIC is proposing to build their bridge, Canada seems OK with it but is the US? In Delray, hundreds of people and businesses will be forced to move.

• "When asked how many acres the entire River Crossing system takes up in the U.S, Joe Corradino presented a graphic of the project footprint and estimated the total area is 200 to 220 acres."

So all of this negative impacting on the US is NOT a US concern it seems and it must mean that the US is happy with this disruption since "no one side of the River would bear the undue burden of an alternative."

Imagine instead building a bridge in the existing footprint where no one is impacted. What is so illogical about that!

Now what can the explanation be for the silence on the other side? Why do people praise DRIC for listening to the Community? Yes, they do listen but it seems to go in one ear and out the other.

Here is what John Nagy said as quoted in an LAC Minute back on June 27, 2007:

• "When the DRIC project first came to Delray, only a few people showed up at a meeting. He took it upon himself to inform the community of all the latest developments and the upcoming meetings. He made sure MDOT had a mailing list for Delray, and he himself went house-to-house, wrote addresses down, and submitted them to MDOT...He stressed that it is unfair to characterize the MDOT/DRIC team as a “villain.” The DRIC process always let an individual say what needs to be said.
  
  He noted that the MDOT/DRIC team has been more than open with the community."

I can well understand why he was so pleased given the revitalization concepts that DRIC presented as people expressed their vision for what they dreamed Delray could become.

Here though is the reality:

• "C. Another community member asked about the surrounding neighborhoods and revitalization of those neighborhoods.
  
  R. Joe Corradino spoke about the conceptual plans to revitalize the area. He noted such plans need a partnership among government agencies and the private sector to succeed.
  
  C. Bob Benson noted revitalization of the community is not MDOT’s responsibility. MDOT will make recommendations; it will be someone else’s responsibility to implement those plans. Some people may have the impression that MDOT is going to lead the revitalization of the area.
  
  
  
  R. Mohammed Alghurabi noted MDOT is responsible for the DRIC study. And MDOT will be responsible to build the new bridge, plaza and interchange, if the project is approved. He noted MDOT will need partners to revitalize Delray.


• Q. What will it take to implement the conceptual land use plan for Delray that the DRIC Study Team proposed?
  
  A. It will take a partnership among many units of government, including the City of Detroit, and the private sector. MDOT and the Federal Highway Administration can serve as a catalyst and make some but not all the investments. And, the DRIC Study Team believes it will take 20 to 25 years to fully revitalize Delray as portrayed in the conceptual land use plans.
  
  Q. Are there funds allocated/budgeted to make the plan a reality?
  
  A. No. Action on the plan, even by MDOT and FHWA, requires that it be approved. That is not scheduled to happen, if it happens, until the latter part of 2008."

As Mr. Spock pointed out

• "Nowhere am I so desperately needed as among a shipload of illogical humans."