posted December 12, 2009
Well all good things must come to an end...past decisions have come back to haunt the Mountain.
We lived on Signal Mountain from 1989 to 2004, then moved to Gulf Shores. When we moved to the Mountain in Walden the overall population was no where near what it is today. However, we knew that growth was coming to Signal.
The town of Walden enacted an ordinance stating that homes could only be built on one acre or more of property...a terrific decision by the city fathers. However, elsewhere on Signal building was booming, but no one paid attention to our transportation needs, except the state. Yes, the state had the money to design and build a new road for the Mountain.
Oh, and this is where it gets funny. No, I mean a totally pompous and arrogant attitude by the mayor and a particular commissioner of the town of Signal Mountain. I think the term that was used was these two "politicians" designed a Highway to Heaven. They, and a select group of people and soccer moms didn't want the Mountain disrupted by this inconvenience of a new road being built up the Mountain. In other words, it was the mayor and commissioner's way or the "Highway".
In other, words the Signal "Highway" could never be built with the money available. It's sad to say that I bet the same attitude is still very prevalent today with a certain group on the Mountain...we don't need a new road just repairs.
Not to be outdone, the mayor of Walden, not wanting to be left out of the equation and not agreeing with the state, turned down the state's help on a section of Highway 127 and decided that her way was better. The state left the Mountain like Elvis left the building, and I can't blame them.
I had the opportunity to have lunch at Lynn's Market on the Mountain with an employee of the state shortly after this fiasco. And he said that it was impossible to deal with the town of Signal Mountain and Walden as it related to improvements or a new highway up the Mountain. He stated that the state has the money, but it can't be held forever. It went elsewhere.
Now the state budget is tight and no money for a new road. Oh, the state did propose a new road up Sawyer and Corral, but guess what...not in my lifetime or near my property. It would, however, have really cost a great deal of cash.
Signal, you built it and they came...the high school. Now you had better figure out a way to build a new highway. The current Highway 127 is not the answer and too many people can't drive the "W". Oh, and Roberts Mill is truly a "pig" trail. You guys need to unite on this issue.
Best Wishes for a great holiday and a new highway
Michael McClure
Gulf Shores, Ala.
* * *
Politics and bureaucracy are a potent mix--and that mix controls your life and mine. About that road up Signal, some years ago, TDOT offered to widen the road up Signal to four lanes--but onl as far as (as I remember) the
Space House. At that point, it would revert to the same two lanes we already had, unrepaired and unchanged. Can you spell "bottleneck?"
So, yep, we turned it down, knowing full well that the solution might well be worse than the original problem. All that money spent, and a worse problem at the end.
Then, about two years ago, people began hinting about a road up through the state park, in the Shackleford Ridge area. What a great idea. I've never known why, but the legislature vetoed that one. A road through a state park? The expense? Property owners with a nimby attitude? Politics and bureaucracy, operating as usual?
So, we sort-of sensible folks looked at the options. Hmmm. Not many. Spiff up Roberts Mill Road? Right now, it's sort of a pig trail, but the roadway is there, and the right of-way is available. Go around and come up the back of the mountain, through Dunlap? Time-consuming, but possible. Powell's Crossroads and Suck Creek? Yeah, with a lot of work, that'd serve. Time and distance, of course, but what the hey? Rich Signal Mountain folks have plenty of time since they don't work very hard, right?
Shall we wait until the highway up the front peels off the mountainside like a strand of spaghetti on a wall? Hope against hope it doesn't take a loaded school bus with it when it does? That's the current solution, of course.
Don't even think about the W Road. Most of us drive it several times a week. We know the W Road. If there weren't so many people up here.
Then my son offered a really ye-gods-and-little-fishes suggestion. Are you ready for this? Blow up the cliff, let it fall down the mountain, and build another road on that section, about 15 feet back from where the road is now. Shore it up like the ones we see as we drive from Signal Mountain Boulevard towards Olgiati Bridge. They could sell tickets. They could get a contract with Hollywood to film it for a disaster movie. They wouldn't have to truck in load after load of riprap--the foundation would already be there. Let it settle for a while, of course. Oh. Expensive houses and property already on that edge up there. Powerful people. Rich people. Big time nimby.
I love Signal Mountain. I've been here 35 years and raised two sets of teenagers here. Even now, it's as close to Mayberry as one will find in the Southeast. And for me, that's a problem. Reminds me of that old 'in the world, but not of the world' argument we used to hear so much about. A fair number of our residents would absolutely love to see a gated community here. No undesirables. No diversity. Why not bring more diversity? Why not cluster housing? Sounds great.
Well, no. Remember the word 'infrastructure?" Water mains, sewer connections, water runoff, roads, police, services of all kinds.
So, folks, lemme say, loud and clear: Paradise and a Highway to Heaven aren't possible and won't work. We haven't got it, we won't have it, and we'd better be grateful we don't. The real world is out there, and we have very real problems to solve on Signal. And we know it. Suggestions kindly meant and sensibly offered will find a welcome audience, albeit a fractious one. Democracy is messy, you will recall.
For every major problem, there's a clear and simple solution--and it's always the wrong one. We'll work it out. We have to. Tell you what: you work on the mote in your eye and let us work on the beam in ours, Ok?
Betty Spaulding
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