Between a rock and a hard place?
St. George city officials are trying to come to grips with the growing traffic problems.
There is a desperate need for a more fluid east-west corridor. On the table are three plans — two of which call for widening Red Hills Parkway, the other for cutting through the tortoise preserve that would “minimize impacts to rock formations near the Dixie Rock,” according to a city press release.
So, it comes down to preserving a rock or living, breathing creatures that share our land?
The disappearance of a rock that looks like it has been the victim of a graffiti artist is a no-brainer.
I’m all for preserving ties to long ago, but when the decision comes down to a rock or living entity, life should take precedence, even if it is a tortoise.
The tortoises aren’t interfering with commerce or homes, they aren’t aggravating the environment and they certainly are doing no physical harm to those who encounter them while out on the myriad of local trails.
Numerous Southern Utah communities have had a severe negative impact on the wildlife that once was plentiful — from the deer to fowl that once roamed this region in large numbers. Now, we want to make life more difficult for a helpless little tortoise?
Haven’t we done enough already by ruining prime winter habitat for the deer? Haven’t we fished out the local lakes enough to require put-and-take fishing in most places? What about the pheasant that were once so prolific? Or, the quail that now must compete for habitat in growing neighborhoods?
Farmland has all but disappeared as progress takes its mighty strides.
Haven’t we already paved enough of paradise?
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Comments
My vote is for a seven-lane road along its current path that includes a bike lane and a separate bike path.
Posted by: R-Man | August 2, 2006 10:22 AM
Ed, this is Sally.... you know, the dark haired shy woman who sits across from you at the Editorial Board meetings. About those pesky tortoises, and by the way while not a tree-hugger, I am definitely in the animal-hugging category - some people say the tortoise is not a natural citizen of our locale - some say they were introduced here by friendly bipeds of a bygone era. Does that make a difference in the lengths to which you believe should go to accommodate them? If not, then I would ask what we should do if someone drops an alligator into one of the water hazards at the golf course, a python into the trees at Vernon Worthen Park, or a fertile pair of piranha into sand hollow? As far as I can tell, they, along with the tortoise could all be considered "squatters". Heck, the prairie dog actually is a native here and lots of folks spend their spare time plotting his demise. I'm all about the preservation of God's creatures, I'm just confused about the rules.
Sally
Posted by: Sally Musemeche | August 2, 2006 11:18 PM
Sally,
The rules are never clear. However, I think everybody would agree that pythons, piranha and 'gators -- Oh, my! -- would qualify as not only a public nuisance, but danger. The prairie dog is easily translocated, as they say. And, while it is true that the tortoise was brought here from California -- an early move-in -- it actually does much better in this climate. Surely you wouldn't want to expel everything from California, would you my friend?
Posted by: Ed Kociela | August 3, 2006 09:39 AM
Thanks,Ed - I get it now. If it's cute and seemingly harmless it can stay in style, but if it's ugly or has a bad reputation then it's OK to eat it, kill it or chase it off with a stick. Hmmmm.... do you hear a noise behind you Ed?.
For those why may misunderstand the friendly bantering and Ed-Bashing, I would like to say that Ed's presence at the Editorial Board Meetings and the spirited debates that often ensue are the things that keep us all on our toes. See you Wednesday, Ed.
Sally
Posted by: Sally | August 4, 2006 08:15 AM
I admit that this is a very tough decision, but my question is, has anyone discussed what will be done with the added congestion at the Washington interchange if they simply widen Red Hills Parkway? It can already be a nightmare, but what is going to happen when you put twice as much traffic through it? I think that the tortoises will learn and adapt to a new road running through their land because we all know that everything possible will be done to make sure they don't get onto the road. Also, if that road is used strictly for transportation and not for future development sites, we've just added another scenic by-way to St. George which just adds more value to where we live and easier access to see the beauty that is in Southern Utah.
Posted by: CMH | August 14, 2006 04:49 PM
I'm not sure the people who currently enjoy the serenity of nature at the reserve really want their secluded hikes interrupted by cars screaming past at 70 miles per hour. I know the tortoises sure won’t like that.
And it’s not just about the tortoises getting on the road, it’s about the nature of the tortoise. Most tortoises have a one-mile territory they freely roam. Many of those tortoises have been roaming that one-mile territory for 25, 50, maybe even 75 years. Then suddenly there’s a big slab of asphalt right down the middle of it.
City and county leaders say the road is needed because of future growth in communities along SR 18. Have they ever considered the possibility that growth could possibly be stopped if the roads are not able to adequately handle that growth? Why fix a problem by causing another?
A wise man recently said this should not be an “us or them” issue. If us having a minor inconvenience means helping the survival of a species, maybe we can handle that inconvenience, he said.
Posted by: Dwayne | August 15, 2006 12:04 AM