Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thank You!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
On Our Way to National Scenic Byway Designation
The Partnership to Preserve Military Road has partnered with the Three Lakes Town Board and the Three Lakes Information Bureau to an upgrade from Military Road's current status as a Forest Service Scenic Byway. With this designation, the road will be eligible for many grants, including those that will fund tourism and advertisements, safety measures, help with historical and archaeological findings and much more. There is also a seed grant available to cover the initial research and development costs.
TONIGHT, May 3, 2007, is our weekly meeting of the Partnership (6:30pm, Three Lakes Town Hall). We will be organizing Superior Trail trustees, setting up fund raisers, assigning interim officers, brainstorming membership and more organizational tasks. There are lots of places to plug in and be a part of Three Lakes and National History.
If you cannot make tonight's meeting and would like to be a part of the action, or if you have any ideas, please contact us at savelakesuperiortrail@hotmail.com.
See you tonight!
For more information on this designation, please see http://www.bywaysonline.org/
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Conservationists work together over the generations to save the trees
From the Superior Broadcast Network:Download this Radio Story:
http://www.superiorbroadcast.org/mp3/goldsworthy2.mp3
See Photos and read a Transcript:
http://superiorbroadcast.org/road.htm
Friday, April 6, 2007
Fear and Loathing in Three Lakes
(This Letter to the Editor was also submitted to the Three Lakes News)Dear Editor:
This spring has been unseasonably hot in Three Lakes. Between the Military Road issue and the Town Board election, the recent arctic front couldn't even begin to cool things off.
What’s been causing all the heat? Vehicles with political signs being towed away and impounded, a town official on election day threatening to have another vehicle with a political sign towed away, unprovoked threats by the police, ribbons marking Military Road trees being torn off and left to lay, with the perpetrators accusing the tree markers of littering. Top that off with hate mail and threatening phone calls, and you've got plenty of tinder for a scorching blaze.
Why did this happen in the normally quiet and friendly community of Three Lakes? Because fresh blood and new ideas are often considered threatening to those who get used to doing things the same way. When I first got involved in the community, I was treated like a piece of...well, to put it politely, I was treated like I didn't matter. A faction of the Town Board first ignored me, and when I didn't go away they gave me the runaround. When that didn't work either, they tried to discredit and censor me.
A healthy organization welcomes new thoughts and energy, because they help it grow and adapt to change. Thankfully, that is now starting to happen in Three Lakes. New faces are appearing in our town government. There were many kind and caring people who had given up because they thought there was no chance for their voice to be heard. They now have renewed hope--they are speaking up, getting involved, and coming to Town Board Meetings.
This is democracy in practice--everyone coming together to work for the common good, rather than a small handful of people making the decisions for everybody. That was not the fault of our elected officials, we must remember, because if they are truly going to serve us, it is our responsibility to speak up, vote, and get involved.
This has all come at a cost--thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours most of us didn't have to spare, along with having to face angry and mean-spirited people. But it was all worth it--I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it was needed. I have made friends with some of the Board members and I have many new friends in the community. And--most rewarding to me--I've discovered that we're not so different after all. We all dream of a safe and beautiful, thriving community where we can live in peace and mutual respect. I'm hoping we can rise from the ashes of conflict and be a shining example for others of what a true community can be.
Tamarack Song
Three Lakes
The Road Plan Has Been Scrapped!
MSA hopes to have a new plan drafted by June 1st and they will be open to new and additional comments until May 1st (see below post for the previous comment form). Starting now, they will be gathering new data and info: archaeological and historical, soil and pavement, and topography. When completed, the draft will be presented for public approval.
The Partnership will be meeting at the Three Lakes Town Hall as usual (Thursday- April 12 @ 6:30pm) to discuss (and celebrate!) this key development.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Ed Cottingham wins a seat!
Town of Three Lakes Election Results
(from WJFW)
Supervisor (2 seats open)
Dave Hapka (I) 542
Bill Martineau (I) 361
Ed Cottingham 370
Ed wins his seat by 9 votes!
Thanks to all who got out and voted Tuesday.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
MSA comment forms
MSA, the engineering firm in charge of the redevelopment of Military Road, distributed comment forms for the project at the last public meeting on March 14th.
The original form deadline was by March 29th- although with the recent (4/6) scrapping of the previous road plan, you can still download a comment form, print it out and tell MSA exactly what you think the new plan should look like. One idea: a raised roadbed instead of ditches, which would dramatically reduce the number of trees to be cut.
Jim Bollman, P.E.
MSA Professional Services, Inc.
1835 N. Stevens Street
Rhinelander, WI 54501
Please indicate on the envelope the project i.d. number: 9907-02-00, Military Road, STH Oneida/Vilas County Line, Oneida County
Sunday, March 18, 2007
For Immediate Release:
Group Says it Has New Plan For
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Three Lakes, WI, March 17 – Following a town meeting that drew nearly 100 people to discuss the controversial redevelopment plans for Military Road, members of the Partnership to Preserve Military Road say they have a plan that will meet everyone’s needs. The group of concerned citizens, which is seeking to preserve the trees along the road, intends to meet with road engineers and town board members to present a plan to fix the road’s drainage issues while sparing the historic old growth trees that line the road.
“We can repave the road, improve drainage, save money and make the road safer without cutting down thousands of trees,” says
Wednesday’s town meeting, hosted by road design firm MSA, the Forest Service and the Three Lakes Town Board, pulled in permanent and seasonal residents from as far as 150 miles away to ask questions, voice concerns and learn more about the project. The engineer for the project, Jim Bollman, repeatedly referred to standing water on the road as being a prime concern. Town Board members said the project would save taxpayer money. Yet, some people walked away with even more reservations about the current plans.
Chris Bean, a property owner along
Town Board members also repeatedly cited safety as a reason for reconstructing portions of the road, but police records show only three non-alcohol and drug related accidents on
The group’s website (http://savelakesuperiortrail.blogspot.com) cites peer reviewed studies based
on government data that show widening and straightening roadways may actually lead to more accidents because people naturally drive faster on the improved roads. The group presented these reports to MSA at Wednesday’s meeting.
It remains to be seen if the town and engineers will consider the new plan since some have called it a “done deal” despite Wednesday’s assurance by the Forest Service that plans were only “preliminary.”
“We’d like to believe that MSA and the town are working in good faith and would like to reflect our concerns in the road plan,” said Partnership member Evan Cestari.
MSA is taking public comments on the plan through the end of the month.
Monday, March 12, 2007
What can I do to help?
The momentum is building and more and more folks are putting an incredible effort into this partnership. But for us to win this thing we're all going to need to pitch in. Here's what you can do:
1) If you're in the area come to one of our meetings every Thursday at 6:30 pm at the Three Lakes Town Hall. We always have a good ol' time!
2) If you haven't already done so, download and sign the petition! Then send it along to us at 7124 Military Road Three Lakes, WI 54562. You may also fax the petition to the Town Board at (715)546-3384, but if you do so please send us the originals so we have them on file. We've already got over 500 signatures and they keep on coming!!
3) Give 'em a friendly phone call! The folks at the Forest Service, Engineering Firm and Town Board need to hear our concerns directly. Remember, they're supposed to represent us. Let them know that you want to see a new plan to improve drainage without cutting thousands of trees by raising the roadbed instead of creating ditches. Here are their phone numbers:
- Jim Bollman (Project Engineer, MSA Professional Services) - 715-362-3244
- Harv Skjerven (USFS, Eagle River District) - 715-479-2827
- Jeff Herrett (USFS, Eagle River District) - 715-479-2827 ext.1
- Warner Stebbeds, Jr. (Town Chairman) - 715-546-3316
- Dave Hapka (Town Board) - 715-546-2163
- William Martineau (Town Board) - 715-546-2809
- Frederick Schwartz (Town Board) - 715-546-2879
- Cynthia Starke (Town Board) - 715-546-2042
- Tony Hallman (Town Clerk) - 715-546-3316 northwoodstony@hotmail.com
5) Write a letter to the editor. They say that one letter to the editor represents the thinking of 1,000 people. Plus we'll post it up on this blog! Here are the contacts:
- Rhinelander Daily News: malbright@rhinelanderdailynews.com
- Three Lakes News/Vilas County News Review: erpub@nnex.net
- North Star Journal: starjournal@jcpgroup.com
Flagging is Done!
If you happen to drive down Military you're bound to see lots of orange. Why? Because we've marked hundreds of trees that are scheduled to be cut along the road with orange ribbon. You'll see some pretty magnificent old growth white and red pines that are hugged with orange ribbon along with many other smaller trees.
The Town Board and Project Engineer are trying to portray this project's impact as minimal. We suggest you take a look at the ribbons and make up your own mind!
For folks who didn't catch it Channel 12 News in Rhinelander picked up this story as their headline news for last night.
"Military Road Might Lose Its Soul:" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
by Dennis McCann Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=575105
Military Road Might Lose Its Soul With Its Trees
Three Lakes - That Military Road is a historic passageway is told by an oversize marker on the road's northern end.
You are on the location, visitors are told, of a military wagon road begun near the end of the Civil War to link Fort Howard at Green Bay with Fort Wilkins in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. Before that it was known as the old Lake Superior Trail, a moccasin path for Indians for centuries and later used by trappers, travelers and drovers heading to mineral-rich northern Michigan and by lumbermen who came to clear the great northern forest.
That Military Road is scenic needs no such explanation.
Simply drive it. The stretch from Highway 70 on the north to Three Lakes on the south is a narrow, winding, rolling road bordered by towering pines that close together high overhead, like hands folded in prayer, a drive so beautiful that in 1990 it was designated a National Heritage Scenic Byway. In autumn, when the maples blush, Military Road is a popular destination for leaf-peepers, though last week's fresh snow provided a just-as-lovely winter wrap.
But drive it soon, because change could be imminent. Today Military Road has become its own battleground, pitting those who would keep it canopied and, yes, crooked against those who would modernize the road by widening it in places, putting in ditches along the sides and straightening some of its curves, even at the cost of many of those tall pines and wildlife habitat.
You can guess which side has the money.
"Improvement," is the word backers of the $1.7 million project use.
That's the last word opponents of the reconstruction would use. They don't deny that Military Road needs work in spots, but in a late attempt to save the trees - bids are scheduled to be let in May and reconstruction would start by fall - they have launched an effort to save the road from "improvements" that would alter its scenic value. What they don't want to do, said one area resident in a letter to the editor of the local paper, is "turn Military Road into just another country road."
No local money
The fight over Military Road broke out last month after the Three Lakes Town Board voted 3-2 to spend $1.7 million in federal money - no town tax dollars are involved, which opponents say is just the problem - on the reconstruction. The vote came despite pleas from those associated with Teaching Drum Outdoor School, a wilderness-skills school located on Military Road, to spare about a dozen tall pines that stand along the road.
"Just from our standpoint," said the school's Glenn Helkenn as we stood in the road one day last week, "this is our storefront."
After the vote and subsequent attention brought to the project, said Helkenn, opposition to the plan "has just ballooned since then. Native Americans have gotten involved, neighbors up and down the road . . . people from all over the community have got concerns over this project."
A meeting to form a "Partnership to Save Military Road" attracted about 40 people, said Evan Cestari, also with Teaching Drum, and launched such efforts as a Web site, www.savelakesuperiortrail.blogspot.com, a letter campaign to town board members and a petition drive that will be presented at an informational meeting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at the town offices in Three Lakes. Engineers for the project are scheduled to explain their plans, and representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be available to answer questions.
They'll no doubt get some. Goldie Longtail, cultural preservation officer for the Mole Lake band of Chippewa Indians, said it is likely there are remains of tribal members buried along the road that would be disturbed by reconstruction. Tribal officials "don't want Military Road disturbed at all," she said, calling it "a spiritual thing with us."
Helkenn and others argue that if the issue is safety of motorists, as backers of reconstruction claim, the so-called improvements might actually make it more unsafe. As it is, the hilly and winding route demands slow going. But if the road is widened and curves straightened, higher speeds could lead to more accidents, he said. In fact, opponents have collected accident reports that they say show Military Road has had only three non-alcohol or non-drug-related accidents in 20 years, and those were caused by a deer, a tire blowout and bad weather.
Main attraction
Beyond that, Helkenn said, reconstruction could forever change "the last road of its kind in the area - an irreplaceable scenic and historic treasure and a unique contribution to tourism."
That notion was seconded by a woman working in a Three Lakes business when she learned I had just visited Military Road. "That's what people come here for," she said.
Helkenn and Cestari say they are hopeful of reaching a compromise with the town board that would allow some needed fixes along Military Road, including repaving, but without removing the trees doomed by the current plan.
"There seems to be a growing base of concern," Helkenn said, "so I'd like to think the chances are pretty good. There are lots of compromises. The whole partnership is just looking for a compromise position."
Dave Hapka thinks otherwise. A pharmacist in Three Lakes who lives just off the Military road, Hapka was one of the three town board members voting for reconstruction and he said the controversy won't stop the project from going forward. By providing the town with all federal funding for the road, the U.S. Forest Service, which has jurisdiction over the Nicolet National Forest, "basically gave us a gift," Hapka said, by paying for a project the town could not afford on its own. Going forward with the project as designed will improve the road for the next 20 years, he said, while anything less would mean further work would be needed in the future.
Hapka, who said he was struck by a logging truck while driving on Military Road in the 1980s, said safety is the issue, not scenery, and that even the road's designation as a national scenic byway carried no special weight.
"I definitely can see (Teaching Drum director Tamarack Song's) position on the road. I love trees. There's no vendetta against the trees. There's no vendetta against the people (who oppose the project).
"It's just: Do we want a road that's going to last 20 years? Do we want a road that's going to be safer?
"It's a terrible road to drive everyday. I could probably provide you with six to eight people who won't do business in Three Lakes because they have to drive down Military Road."
And if put to referendum, Hapka said, the project would be easily approved.
Word is out
Opponents aren't so sure of that. They're heartened by the support of summer residents who are just now hearing of the scope of the project, like Chicagoan Jay Franke who criticized the plans in a recent letter to the Vilas County News Review, which has endorsed reconstruction. Franke said the record shows not a serious accident on the road in at least 20 years and said the town was acting "on the ancient principle of OPM - Other People's Money."
And, Franke said, "whatever Military Road may have been 200 years ago, it is now the delightfully slow way to get from, well, nowhere to nowhere."
Maybe that's the problem. Not enough people are satisfied with going nowhere slowly, especially when there's free federal money for the taking.
E-mail dmccann@journalsentinel.com.
Safety - What do the Experts Say?
The Town Board and Project Engineer have continuously raised the spectre of safety to defend the development plan to widen Military Road. But guess what? The experts disagree with that assessment! Take a look at the following studies:
Dr. Robert Noland, of the Centre for Transport Studies at the Imperial College in London, completed a comprehensive statistical analysis of all 50 states in 2001 that has been enormously influential. His 2003 paper, "Traffic Fatalities and Injuries: Are Reductions the Result of 'Improvements' in Highway Design Standards?" published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention states that the studies "strongly refute the hypothesis that engineering design improvements have been beneficial for reducing total fatalities and injuries" and "strongly suggests that widening lanes to 12 feet will actually make roads less safe [emphasis added]."
To many this is just common sense. But when the actual research shows that widening roads make them less safe the Project Engineer and Town Board have an obligation to take note.
You can read the full study yourself at:
http://www.penbiped.net/highway-safety-not.pdf
Dr. Noland is hardly a lone voice. The Conservation Law Foundation has done some thorough research on the subject as well. Their conclusions speak directly to our situation here in Three Lakes:
"Highway engineers usually assert that their projects are necessary to improve "safety." While they are typically sincere, they are also typically relying on guidelines that were not developed with the goal of making roads safer for everyone. Projects that bring roads up to 'modern' standards generally do not provide safe places for people to walk or bicycle in-part because they tend to increase traffic speeds - or they improve walking and bicycling only as an afterthought."
They continue, "Regardless of posted speed limits, motorists will drive faster when given the "safety cushion" of a wider road and greater sight distances. Higher design-speed roads have an insidious psychological effect on most motorists, prompting them to increase their speed unwittingly [emphasis added]."
The Conservation Law Foundation's report sometimes seems like a guide specifically written about the Military Road project. Read the full report at:
http://www.clf.org/general/index.asp?id=385
The folks at saferuralroads.com have been doing some excellent work on dangerous "road improvement" and widening projects. They state the case succinctly: "Without a safe neighborhood road, there will be no neighborhood." They also have an excellent dowloadable flyer.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Notes from March 8th Meeting
Thank you for those of you who made it to one or both of these past two meetings, and for those of you who were with us in spirit. Our last two meetings were greatly productive, and we have a lot to do before the big meeting on March 14th.
March 1's meeting we discussed general meeting format, met everyone again
(briefly), and made announcements.
1. We will hold meetings at the Town Hall each Thursday (including next
week) at 6:30pm.
2. We have a new road map with the latest plans, read and understood by a
few members who can help explain the details.
3. OUR BLOG ADDRESS: www.savelakesuperiortrail.blogspot.com
OUR EMAIL: savelakesuperiortrail@hotmail.com
OUR PHONE: 715-546-3388
Our blog has updates on events, editorials, and information regarding this
project.
Last night we came back with our findings from research and actions, and we discussed our actions for this week, before the big meeting MARCH 14th (the town board has called an informational meeting with the Forest Service and the project engineer to answer questions). The meeting will be Wednesday March 14th at 5pm at the Three Lakes Town Hall. Here are the actions we MUST TAKE before that meeting:
SIGNS: (We have made car signs and lawn signs, come pick some up and hand them out! We need this to be PUBLIC) The signs have our blog address, our phone number and email.
PETITIONS: We have about 300 signatures so far. We need more! Our goal
is 1,000. You can download a copy at our blog and print some out.
TREE FLAGGING: We have been marking all the trees that are to be removed along Military Road. There are so many! So come on down and take a look. We want to flag ALL of them, because it really shows what the plan is for the contractors. Would you be available tomorrow (Saturday) between 10 and Noon? We have a crew going out. If not then, we can arrange it any
time if you're interested. We will be going out hopefully every day for an hour or so.
LETTERS TO ABSENTEE LANDLORDS: In three lakes, there are 8,000 residents. Only 2000 are year round, the rest come in the summer. We are trying to notify the other 6,000 because they are the LARGE majority of the citizens here, and they don't know ANYTHING about this plan. We sent out a bunch of letters last week, and yesterday we got a hundred
signatures in the mail.
Today, Karen Cottignham, myself, Evan, and Ken will be stuffing more envelopes. We want to send out as many as possible. They can fax in the petition to the town board at this time (we want the town board to get these signatures by March 14th meeting.) Then they can send in the hard copy to us. Of course, we'll still be sending these letters afterwards because this project won't start until May, so we have some time to reach all 6,000 of them.
GET PEOPLE TO THE MARCH 14th MEETING: Please come, and bring as many
people with you as possible! It is crucial to make a huge impact on the board.
MEDIA: We must alert the media to get as much coverage as possible. As we finish the tree flagging, we want to hold a press conference in front of any section so that people can see the huge trees that are coming down. We want channels 12 and 7 out there for the meeting on March 14th, and we need newspaper and radio announcements for these meetings.
CAMCORDER FOR MEETING: Do you or someone you know have a camcorder so that we can record the meeting on March 14th from beginning to end?
Let us know what your thoughts are, and if you have any suggestions. The last points of the meeting were bringing up as many questions and comments as we could come up with to bring to the March 14th meeting. We will type them all up, and then everyone will have a copy of them. will be typing up and sending that out in the next few days so that anyone can add to it.
This way, pretty much all of us have a chance to ask a question. When they begin the meeting and ask if there are any questions, fifty hands will go up at once.
Best,
Leah
Partnership to Save Military Road
www.savelakesuperiortrail.blogspot.com
savelakesuperiortrail@hotmail.com
715 - 546 - 3388
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Dowload and Sign the Petition!
Click the link below to download our petition (in Ms Word format). Please get as many signatures as you can and return it to us by March 10th! We will bring them to the March 14th meeting to show the Town Board what people really think about the road reconstruction!Petition
Please send all petitions (no matter how many signatures you've gathered ) to:
Partnership to Preserve Military Road
7124 Military Rd.
Three Lakes, WI 54562
This is your chance to have your voice be heard!
Monday, March 5, 2007
Letter to the Editor: Safety and Beauty Are Compatible
Tamarack's letter here shows that there is a win-win situation to be found. Safety and beauty indeed can exist together.
Dear Editor:
There is one concern nearly everyone has who is in favor of the proposed upgrading of Military Road near Three Lakes--safety. These people are not anti-tree by any means; they just don't see how the road can be made safe without cutting down trees. That prompted me to do some research to see if there were any realistic alternatives, and here are some challenges other areas faced:
Three Lakes
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Letter to the Editor: Who Benefits From Military Project?
It looks like Catherine is asking the right questions in this letter to the editor..
Dear Editor:
On Feb. 6, the Three Lakes Town Board voted to destroy Military Road — widening, straightening, ditching. They spoke of their “obligation to the taxpayers of Three Lakes,” i.e., to do major reconstruction now to avoid small repairs later (although the engineer refused to guarantee a fixed lifetime for the reconstruction).
But what about their obligation to the taxpayers of Three Lakes to respect and protect a historic road, a designated scenic byway, whose beauty draws visitors to our community? What about their obligation to preserve the very features that make our region unique? What about their obligation to spend money on projects that truly serve the public good?
This is not a heavily traveled road; no one in a hurry would choose it as an alternative route between Eagle River and Three Lakes. Nor is it dangerous; the accident rate is very low. So who benefits from this “improvement”?
This board has already given us the new Northernaire, a prime candidate for the ugliest building in Oneida County. Will they now turn Military Road into just another country road?
Sincerely,
Catherine Marshall
Three Lakes
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Letter to the Editor - Rhinelander Daily News
Military Road Upgrade Project
by Robert StegerEditor, The Daily News;
There are plans in the works about "upgrading" Military Road. I understand the road is to be widened by 10 feet and a ditch placed on both sides, this means that a lot of trees will be removed, especially in the area of #7125, #7124 and #7110.
My concern is that there are only a few of these roads left.
The Military Road has a historic significance. A National Heritage Scenic Byway, it once was called the Lake Superior Trail, which was used since ancient times by the Indians to travel back and forth between the Northcountry and the areas of present-day Chicago and Milwaukee. The trail became known as Military Road during the War of 1812,when it was used to supply a fort on Lake Superior.
Portions of Military Road are in need of repairs, but there is no need to widen the road.The areas that need repairs are where there is poor drainage and soft subsoil, the pavement keeps breaking up. I believe some of these sections could be raised a few of feet and a firm subsoil applied would suffice.
The National Heritage Scenic Byway should be kept intact as much as possible. If trees are cut down for the widening of the road, the area will lose some of its appeal and tourists will go elsewhere. To keep tourism, we have to keep our trees.
Please keep our beautiful tree-lined gateway to the Northwoods intact.
I own the property at #7125 Military Road.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Locals Rally to Preserve Historic Military Road
Organizers Evan Cestari or Glenn Helkenn can be contacted at: 715-546-3388 or savelakesuperiortrail@hotmail.com.
-###-
Do these plans look sensible to you?
Below are photographs of a map drawn up by MSA, the engineering firm that designed the redevelopment. The first photograph shows the key to the map in which the squiggly green lines represent the current tree line, the dotted green lines represent how far the trees will be cut back, and the black dashed lines indicate the proposed right-of-way.
As the maps clearly show, we're not talking about just "12 large pines" being cut. The number is likely to be in the hundreds if not thousands, including old-growth trees that were here when Military Rd. was a dirt trail walked by Indians. What's more, many of these pines are on private property. Yes, we're talking front lawns here that will have scenic trees replaced with a roadway that will often be so close to the road that a homeowner could probably spit on it from his house if so inclined.
Is it any more obvious?
Oh, and by the way the above illustrations are hardly an anomaly. They represent only a small picture of what will be done along the whole road.
If you don't believe it come see for yourself. We will have the full map at the March 1st 6:30 meeting at the Three Lakes Town Hall so everyone can see for themselves what this reconstruction will mean.
Response to Three Lakes News Editorial
...
The historic purpose of Military Road that runs just east of Three Lakes was to provide an efficient, safe transportation corridor through the forested North Woods, which is precisely why the Three Lakes Town Board should stick to its guns with reconstruction of several hazardous stretches as part of an 8.5-mile road improvement project.
We don't support cutting down old-growth red and white pines without good reason, but there is hardly a better reason to do so than when acting in the name of public safety.
Military Road is shared by school buses, massive logging trucks, dump trucks, delivery vehicles, large sport utility vehicles and the like. Certain stretches of the road, such as the hills and curves near Teaching Drum Outdoor School, are dangerously narrow.
That are of Military Road (also called Forest Road 2178) is also treacherous because of poor drainage, which has resulted in potholes and hazardous driving conditions ; thus the need for widening of the roadbed and some ditching, which will keep wetland groundwater from deteriorating the roadbed.
Besides, this project is being funded with $1.7 million in federal funds and no town funds. Federal funding calls for certain construction standards as set by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. That's another reason why the town can't just patch up certain stretches without widening the roadbed.
While there is certainly an argument to be made about the adverse aesthetic changes due to the cutting of 12 large pine trees, we don't find credibility in the suggestion that wildlife habitat will be significantly impacted. The cutting is on too small of a scale.
With some pine trees just a foot or two off the pavement, a school bus and a large logging truck can barely pass on the hill just south of Teaching Drum Outdoor School. That is a transportation hazard that the school district, its parents and its students cannot tolerate.
The other good news about cutting roadside pines is the opportunity for sunlight to reach the roadway in winter, which might reduce the snow and ice buildup that makes certain stretches of Military dangerous.
From a historic perspective, Military Road was designed for transportation. It was not designed as a scenic byway or tourism corridor, though it developed that reputation in the decades after the U.S. Forest Service created the Nicolet National Forest in 1933.
We support the town board's 3-2 decision because it is in the public's best interest to prioritize highway safety ahead of aesthetics. Records indicate that every property owner along Military Road and tribal governments were notified of the proposed reconstruction and invited to a public meeting in 2004. They didn't attend and the town board moved forward, now ready to seek bids.
Despite what the critics are saying, we don't believe the tree cutting will result in any adverse impacts to tourism. Though it may be slightly less scenic on some stretches, the improved road will fulfill the purpose for which it was built.
Behind the editorial 'we'
Editorials that appear here weekly are composed by Editor Kurt Krueger, and include input from Publisher Byron McNutt and Assistant Editor Gary Ridderbusch.
...
Letter to the Editor:
Military Road resident
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Editor:
This is in response to the Editor’s Opinion column in the February 21, 2007 issue, the topic of which was the proposed Military Road reconstruction. First I would like to commend this paper for providing a forum for discussion on past issues by encouraging dialogue, open-mindedness, and fact gathering. This is an especially wise and important policy in a small community with only one newspaper to serve all of its citizens.
Unfortunately, the Editor has decided early-on to take a stance on this issue. If it were a simple black-and-white case, that would be understandable. However, the Three Lakes Town Board’s 3-2 vote to keep the reconstruction plan as-is, reflects the fact that there is nowhere near consensus. There is a broad range of opinion, along with many unanswered questions. I would like to suggest that this newspaper could better serve the community by providing an open, objective forum for the gathering of facts and the exchange of information. The last thing we want to see is an emotionally charged, divided community, and taking sides could well fuel that.
Also unfortunate is the newspaper's decision to take an editorial stance before doing adequate research and interviewing to get the facts. Several points in the editorial appeared to be cases of misinformation becoming fact because enough people have kept repeating it. Here are several examples from the editorial:
"We don't support cutting down old-growth red and white pines without good reason: but there is hardly a better reason to do so then when acting in the name of public safety." In order to speak intelligently on this issue, we need facts and figures. And we have to recognize that we are actually talking about two safety issues:
1. Statistics prove conclusively that correcting dangerous intersections and blind corners improves safety.
2. Statistics also show that widened country roads lead to increased traffic and higher speeds, with a corresponding higher rate of accidents, no matter what the posted speed limit.
I haven't heard a single person speak against implementing point #1 on Military Road.
"While there is certainly an argument to be made about the adverse and aesthetic changes due to the cutting of 12 large pine trees (on the Teaching Drum Outdoor School property), we don't find credibility in the suggestion that wildlife habitat will be significantly impacted. The cutting is on too small of a scale."
Focusing on the Teaching Drum's trees is like giving attention to one polar bear while the rest of the species goes extinct. The fact is that many hundreds of stately trees are slated to be destroyed.
"From a historic perspective, Military Road was designed for transportation."
Here is an excerpt from an article by Edmuch Epeseth in the July 20, 1978 issue of the Vilas County News Review, which is taken from a research paper by local Eagle River historian Finn Lawler (on file with the Wisconsin Historical Society): "…developments in the course of the war between the states played into the hands of the promoters who made use of this propaganda to get their bill through Congress. The commissioners who let the contracts awarded three sections of timber lands for every mile built, and the selections could be made anywhere along the route within three miles of the course of the road except where the road ran through the Menominee Indian Reservation. Of course, the contractors employed the best cruisers available to as to make the best timberland selections. As it turned out, the whole setup was a giant conspiracy and one of the prize timber steals in American history.”
"We support the town board’s 3-2 decision because it is in the public's best interest to prioritize highway safety ahead of aesthetics." We can draw inspiration from many tourist and historical areas in the nation, who created a win-win situation by considering both safety and aesthetics in their planning.
"Despite what the critics are saying, we don't believe the tree cutting will result in any adverse impacts to tourism." The groundswell of reaction to this road plan says otherwise, and who are we to speak for the tourists? Why don't we ask them what they think?
Tamarack Song,
Three Lakes
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Myths about the road expansion:
Myth: This is a conflict between scenery and safety. We need to upgrade the road for the sake of human safety.
Reality: Military Road is one of the safest roads in the Three Lakes area. A comprehensive search of the Three Lakes Police Department files from the last 20 years showed only three (non alcohol or drug related) accidents anywhere on the road. Only three accidents in 20 years! All were relatively minor, no injuries were reported, and none were caused by conditions inherent to the road (the actual causes of these three accidents were: 1. a deer, 2. a bad tire, and 3. an ice/snow storm. Four additional accidents were reported in the last 20 years as being caused by intoxicated drivers.
In fact, widening & straightening the road will only serve to increase the speed of motorists, thereby making the road less safe, not more. The last thing we need is to expand and straighten Military Road so big logging trucks can fly along at greater speeds than they already do. The vast majority of accidents reported in the Three Lakes area were on Highways 32 and 45, where drivers can go much faster than on Military Road.
Another major concern expressed by numerous landowners along Military Road is that the expansion will actually put the road dangerously close to their homes and front yards, thereby endangering their children's playgrounds. Many of us come to the Northwoods to get away from such annoyances and dangers as high-speed traffic, now the Three Lakes town board wants to bring it to our doorsteps.
The citizens who have come together to preserve Lake Superior Trail are as concerned with safety as anyone, the real issue here is that not everyone's legitimate concerns are being addressed with fully informed public input.
Myth: What's the big deal? The road won't change that much after the expansion.
Reality: The current development plan & environmental assessment is a very revealing document. As it is currently conceived, this road expansion will involve the creation of ditches alongside the road, widening the road, straightening portions of the road, and taking down as many as a thousand trees (many of which are old growth trees which stood along "Lake Superior Trail" as it was being traveled by early Native Americans and Pioneers).
The shady forest canopy over the road will be lost in some areas. This will impact both the aesthetics of the road and the habitat of the endangered Pine Marten, which needs shadow in order to feel safe crossing open areas (The Pine Marten is actually Wisconsin's only endangered mammal, and is currently being reintroduced to areas of the Nicolet National Forest along Military Road's corridor).
The current environmental assessment for the road plan gives little serious thought to obvious scenic, environmental, and archaeological impacts, listing their effects simply as "none." A large number of known archaeological sites along the roadway are listed in the assessment as "not evaluated."
If this road expansion proceeds as planned, the unique scenic & historic character of Military Road will be forever lost.
Help Preserve a Local Treasure
On February 6th the Three Lakes Town Board voted 3-2 to proceed with the expansion of scenic, historic, and environmentally sensitive Military Road. Bids for the project will begin in May. Yet serious questions remain - questions that concern all of us and require the input of a fully informed citizenry.
Local folks are likely aware that this has been a big issue in the media recently, making front page headlines in the Rhinelander Daily News and feature stories on WXPR public radio and channels 9&12 news. See the links below for some of these stories:
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/articles/2007/02/07/news/news01.txt
http://www.rhinelanderdailynews.com/articles/2007/02/10/news/news04.txt
http://www.wjfw-nbc12.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4502&Itemid=51
http://www.wjfw-nbc12.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4792&Itemid=51
Neighbors, local citizens, business owners, tribal leaders, historians, environmental advocates, and lawyers have all expressed deep reservations about the road development plan as it is currently envisioned.
Yet, making these concerns heard can be a daunting task when we are isolated and unorganized. That is why we are seeking your help to build a partnership - a Partnership to Preserve Military Road that will integrate our historical, environmental, aesthetic, and safety concerns into any development proposal. We have issued a press release announcing the formation of this Partnership and a meeting at the Three Lakes Town Hall on March 1 at 6:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
The intent of one person, when united with others of like heart, can move mountains.
- Attend the meeting at the Three Lakes Town Hall on February 21st at 6:30pm.
- Call or email us with your contact info so we can keep you updated as things develop.
- Talk to friends, family & neighbors. Do you know anyone who might be concerned about this issue? Anyone who might be able to help the cause? Let them know, share this post with them.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local paper expressing how you feel about this matter. (Also send us a copy for our files, if you would) Below are some of the emails for the local papers:
Vilas County News Review: erpub@nnex.net
North Star Journal: starjournal@jcpgroup.com
Contact Glenn or Evan at: 715-546-3388 or email savelakesuperiortrail@hotmail.com
