Editorial
Now is the time to speak out on Cascade
November 29, 2007
Since April city planners have been concocting a new design for what could be called the pipeline through UW-River Falls, namely Cascade Avenue. At a public meeting Monday, their initial plan was unveiled to the public and the concept changes that have been laid out. While drastic (three roundabouts is probably a little excessive), the overall design looks good to us.
We anticipate that many River Falls community members, UWRF students and staff included, will have plenty of complaints regarding the proposed median and fence, more limited access to Cascade, the lowered speed limits, removal of free on-street parking from Second Street to Sixth Street and the roundabouts. And you have the right to complain, but the problem is that you shouldn’t have waited until now to speak out. The Cascade Avenue design technical committee held multiple meetings so that the public could throw in its two cents on this project. They wanted pubic opinion to help the shape this plan and were thoroughly disappointed with the attendance at the Sept. 24 meeting in the University Center, especially in regards to UWRF students. That was a key meeting where the technical committee presented multiple concept plans for the redesign.
We wonder if this inaction and lack of attendance stems from the fact that many students currently on campus will not be here when the redesign project actually begins around 2009 or 2010. If this is the case, shame on you for thinking that way. We as students should want to leave behind good legacy for the students that follow us at UWRF. Since students use Cascade Avenue, as both drivers and pedestrians, as much as anyone, we should have a pretty good idea of what will and will not work.
The good thing is there is still time to speak out if you don’t like a particular aspect, or if you do like the design concept; the city is still encouraging all community members to fill out comment forms.
To submit a comment on the Cascade Avenue
concept design visit the project Web page at:
http://www.rfcity.org/Eng/Projects/Cascade%20Ave/CascadeAve.htm.