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As some local residents sacrifice themselves on the anti-roundabout hill in Murphy, an interesting phrase keeps popping up: “This is a solution in search of a problem.”
The phrase is a clever way of saying whatever taxpayer-funded project we’re working on, regardless of the merits, simply isn’t worth the cost. Many people believe the risk of the roundabouts planned by the N.C. Department of Transportation, smack dab in the middle of downtown Murphy and out on U.S. 64 West, won’t be worth any potential reward. To them, the changes for drivers and pedestrians – many who are past retirement age – may make the intersection more dangerous, not safer, despite what DOT studies show.
Likewise, many people came to a similar conclusion about a new unified high school in Cherokee County, despite the aging and outdated conditions of the three primary high schools in Andrews, Hiwassee Dam and Murphy. Even though the state was paying for $50 million of the cost, many said they still didn’t like not knowing the overall total in advance of breaking ground.
(Publisher’s note: Schools will not become cheaper to build in the future. And that grant was only available for consolidation; good luck getting the state to help pay for three separate campuses.)
For my money, the project that appears to be the biggest burden we didn’t need is on U.S. 19/129, otherwise known as Blairsville Highway. People are losing the homes and businesses they worked a lifetime for, and just so the highway can be straighter and with at least three lanes throughout – not even four. When a project’s cost adds up to eight or nine figures in taxpayer dollars, the public’s benefit should be far greater than that; just adding shoulders throughout that stretch and guard rails at higher-risk locations would have made the highway much safer, and at far less cost.
For other people’s money, the worst taxpayer-funded abuse came when the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office called in Cherokee Tribal SWAT to assist in a case that could have been handled by local deputies. Most residents are aware of the shooting that occurred and waiting for the inevitable lawsuit shoe to drop; for those still in the dark about it, watch the video on the Cherokee Scout’s Facebook page and prepare for a shock. And more video may be on the way.
While the DOT in particular takes a lot of criticism, to be fair, that agency just may be the biggest reason western North Carolina opened to the rest of the world. For example, without the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, many people may never have discovered the beauty that lies at the furthermost end of the state and the people who live here. And while the creation of the four-lane highway in the 1970s did take traffic out of downtown Andrews and Murphy, it also created new business corridors that have borne fruit in the decades since then.
Still, when you see the massive amounts of money spent on projects like U.S. 19/129 – an estimated $12.5 million just to purchase right of ways, with $55.9 million more needed to complete construction – it’s hard not to wonder if that cash could have been better spent elsewhere, especially when the road in question hasn’t had a recent increase in accidents and there so many people in need today. It’s also hard not to feel like your voice doesn’t count when the DOT made its final decision prior to having any conservations with the community.
While it’s understandable that some people still want to fight the roundabouts, if they’re going to happen we should focus our energy on making sure the surrounding areas – like the memorials and pocket parks downtown – don’t lose the floral colors and patriotic symbolism that make them special.
At the same time, let’s work together to limit any unfortunate consequences. Since some drivers and pedestrians may not be familiar with how to properly navigate roundabouts, officials could hold educational programs at churches, schools and senior centers in advance.
Together, we can turn this frown upside down. And who knows? Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, Murphy will look great and be safer than ever.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. You can reach him by phone, 837-5122; email, dbrown@cherokeescout.com; or on Twitter @daviddBstroh.