An interesting article in today's Free Press with an interview with Wyandotte Mayor DeSana.

http://www.freep.com/news/cfp/3/vbridge25v_20050825.htm

Interesting that DeSana used to work for MDOT (the same people studying border crossings in our area)

Nobody has said this to DeSana, but he thinks MDOT likes the idea of a crossing that goes over Fighting Island. Those not familiar with the Detroit River should know that Fighting Island starts about a little south of Eureka and ends north of Southfield.

This is a very scary thought. For one, a good chunk of Fighting Island is due East of LP. #2. It all but removes Grosse Isle from the equation, so we would lose them fighting a crossing on the front lines. #3. DeSana says Canada wants it between LaSalle and Windsor, well guess what, LP is straight across from LaSalle.
#4. When you look at the map, the most logical senario has this bridge landing at Southfield, with easy access to I-75. This puts this problem right in our "wheelhouse". Not only would we have all the bridge/traffic/polution/property value problems, but this would divide our city right in half.

To me this is the single biggest issue the faces LP right now. In fact, you could make the case that this would be the most devastating thing to ever happen to our town. Our city leadership needs to form some kind of Action group/committee to deal with this and fight this crossing.

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Robbie (08-25-05), jujitsu50 (08-25-05), TheGirlNextDoor (08-26-05), Nikita1966 (08-27-05)

I agree Jeyhey. Too bad our mayor doesn't feel the same.

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"I'm sick and tired of hearing things from uptight, short sighted, narrow minded hypocrites. All I want is the truth, Just gimme some truth"

- John Lennon

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It's evident to me that no one on Southfield Rd. and Fort Park Blvd. cares a darn about this project. They couldn't care less if it's here or not. If they did, something would be done about it. jmo

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Arctic Cat Thundercat Test Pilot

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I cannot agree more whole heartedly with you on this.

What I wonder is why no elected officials have acted? Why local grass roots groups have not sprung up? Is everyone blind or just uncaring?

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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

Attributed to Voltaire

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I think a big problem will be if ever the downriver cities divide. If Grosse Isle gets off the list, but it still includes Wyandotte and Ecorse, GI,Trenton and Riverview could leave the fight, and forget about the rest of the area. This thing needs to be fought with a united front. Even Taylor, Southgate and Brownstown have a lot at stake.

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There has been a Bill brought to the state house to end all founding for this Project that is a good thing .
So far there has been a 30% -70 % with the state paying 70ifunding there as well percent for this study and the U.S. the rest we must now get the feds to cut there side of the funding.
This our tax dollers they are spending on something we do not want plese let our leaders in washington know how you feel about this

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Lupin (08-25-05), Robbie (08-25-05), TheGirlNextDoor (08-26-05)

Councilman Higgins, who are the best people to send letters/emails to about this?

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"Sometimes we must serve in order to lead"
by Unknown

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In addition to Robin's question, then is John Dingell partly responsible for this? Who else is? You are right Mr. Higgens, we should not have to pay for this crap, we don't even want it, yet we have to pay for them to study it?

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Listen chaps, is this such a bad thing for LP? It would probably result in better roads, additional business traffic, higher tax revenue, and if it's negotiated correctly, may result in job guarantees for LP residents. Let's face it, can things get any worse in this area? May be worth the risk to make things better. Just my opinion.

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put a few more in the ground

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Ask me that again when my home that I have sunk alot of money into is torn down to make way for it and I'm stuck with the outstanding balance to pay for.

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I've sent letters to Levin, Stabinaw, and Cheeks-Kilpatrick, the most I get out of them is alot of Political rhetoric about how they are working diligantly to help the people in their .....

Emailing the white house I don't think will help either he's to busy dominating the world.

www.senate.gov
www.house.gov

the two above sites will get you to the levin & stabinaw email sites

www.whitehouse.gov
can get you to email the big cheese himself
http://senate.michigan.gov
http://house.michigan.gov
these are the websites for the michigan house and senate,

besides smart but remarks I can sometimes give usefull and informative infromation.

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Trust is hard to earn , but easily lost

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Mayday (08-25-05), TheGirlNextDoor (08-26-05)

OK, I'll revise. If you were offered fair value (including $ invested) would you agree to it? All I'm saying is that a bridge corridor right through the heart of LP may be a huge opportunity to put LP on a different level. I like my home and have put alot of money into it also, but I'll admit it's in LP and is not what I would consider my dream home.

I guess that raises another question, how many in LP would live else where if possible?

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I know what you meant LPdivin. I don't know what I would do. I do know this much, that it would be a joint decision with my wife. One thing that I keep thinking of is the area by the Rouge Bridge by Oakwood Bakery. It's a dumping ground now when it used to be a nice area. I just don't want LP to be the same way if it happens. I don't have too much tied up in this city, only lived here since 98 but I don't want to see it become another Delray.

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Who knows some home owners may even make out on the deal, does anyone know when they want to try and pull this thing off, any target dates???


Rocky

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Reply to Robbie:

Oh no, I completely agree. It would have to be correctly negotiated to ensure that LP is a beneficiery of all this and not the next Delray. If it was not a money-in-the-bank guarantee to LP I would be totally against it.

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Why is Downriver even being considered? The 2nd bridge should be built somewhere near Springwells or Junction or West End or Dearborn Streets.

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Tax Revenue? Where is that going to come from? What little it will generate will be gobbled up with the additional police force and other resources that it will take to have this bridge in our city. And all the emphasis will go to the bridge, and not into the neighborhoods. Can't get much worse, eh? Well what happens when your house that is worth $100,000-$150,000 is now worth $65,000-90,000. To me that is much worse.

Others have brought up Delray, and other areas near the bridge, well look at them and then tell me what do you see there that causes you to draw a logical conclusion that it won't happen here?

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To me what is much worse is like you said, $100,000-$150,000 is now worth $65,000-90,000 and you still owe $120,000 on it.

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Yeah Robbie, they way it is supposed to work is you buy a house for $120,000, you owe $100,000 after 7 years, but the house appreciates to $170,000, not depreciates to $75,000.

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A second Bridge crossing in Lincoln Park would all but destroy any future this town has. Furthermore what tax revenue would we see? All were getting is a freeway and alot of lost revenue along the Southfield corridor. Our demise would in turn impact the surrounding communities and economies.

Time frame wise if they started today we probably wouldn't see a bridge for at least another 15yrs. But that doesn't mean they would start bull dozing houses on Saturday.

I thought I had heard something about Outer Drive being used as an alternative? Anyone hear anything on this, I never saw any photo's using Outer Dr. on the Bridge website.


State of Michigan ...

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