Stop Throwing Money in the Ditch
Dearest Editor,
Reading the final letter in the October issue of Sneak Preview from John Hauschild “The Real Threat to the TID Trail” made me realize that I am not alone! I have been trying to figure out what the city’s Fill-in-The-Ditch plan was all about for the past 12 months and I’m pretty sure it’s terrible. I believe that the more people know about this plan, the more people will think it is terrible too.
First, it’s $2 million in Ashland taxpayer money for 2 miles of trail. A million dollars a mile. And… the trail is already there. The city’s pitch is that it conserves water. “Saves 30% of all water!” Is the popular saying but that is a false statistic. City staff say that “…the City has been clear that water quality and conservation is a priority and at this point is willing to accept the long pay-back period.” By the own city’s measurements, the cost of water lost along that 2 miles of ditch is $13,000 per year. So, in a short 150 years, we will recoup our investment!
Also, removing access to water denigrates flora, fauna, and the human experience. The obvious seepage that does occur along the ditch trail has been nurturing an untold number of plants, bushes and trees all along that trail. No man-made attempts to compensate for a giant, four-foot pipe, can come close to the constant, subtle, dare I say “natural” leakage along the ditch. And the consistently inconsistent visits to this water source by any number of birds and animals would disappear, and they would move to other areas. This would significantly alter the biodiversity of the entire neighborhood, and the life experience of the local inhabitants. (I’m talking about the people inhabitants. Citizens of the City of Ashland Oregon) This project will only sterilize this entire area.
The e-coli can be managed differently, and the private owner land-grab Mr. Hauschild mentioned is a reality some might remember from 2000 and 2001.
There is hope. The city has only approved $192,257 for design and study so far. The next phase is coming soon, “Phase 1B, December 2018-June 2019: Public outreach, obtaining permits, easements and construction work agreements.” How much is that going to cost? Let’s make it 0 dollars and 0 cents by ending this expensive, unwanted, and truly unnecessary project. Let’s stop throwing our money into a ditch.
Jim Falkenstein
Ashland