On Aug. 7, the Moscow City Council approved their budget for 2017. Included in this budget was money to build a car bridge at the east end of Third Street to connect Third to Mountain View Road. It passed unanimously, with a council member stating that most people in town want it done. A more accurate statement is that most people in town were unaware it was happening, since it was done so quietly. That includes a group of residents who support a pedestrian and bike bridge only. My husband and I donated to support this bridge. I will be asking for our money back.
Third Street goes past East City Park and Lena Whitmore Elementary School. I have lived on Third Street, and traffic there is too fast as it is. Building this bridge will help the residents east of Mountain View to reach their homes, as someone said, "five minutes faster" and in this process ruin a unique part of town.
Meanwhile, Moscow residents should also be aware that the 680-seat auditorium planned for downtown is probably set to be Doug Wilson's church. Most of the building is the auditorium, and you can't teach 300 music students with only five classrooms. And suppose they actually do add 300 more students to the 165 they already have - downtown Moscow would be overrun with New Saint Andrews College students, and Doug Wilson's dream of making Moscow into his own Oxford would be achieved.
It seems too late to stop these projects now with our current council, although some brave members took issue with the fact that the downtown parking study took place while the students were out of town. The upcoming City Council elections are a perfect opportunity for Moscow residents to better balance the council to reflect our town.
Corinne Hunter
Moscow
