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Anyone know anything about a Median Project being proposed for Ocean Highway? I saw something come across my ticker on facebook from "Don't Box the Neck" for a page called "Don't Strip the Neck". It talks about how they want to put in concrete median as well as possible ramification of doing such. I hadn't heard anything about it, but the rock I often live under is quite sound proof. I can't imagine why they would want to do that. Besides any problem it might cause, it would just be dang ugly! Any thoughts on the subject.
Hey Neecie - Yeah, this project has been in the works for awhile, but the opposition has just recently started making more noise. The local PI newspaper, which has been a very strong voice against big box stores, had a very good editorial this week expressing concern over "don't strip the neck", from the standpoint of diluting the brand, so to speak. "Don't Box the Neck" has become an important voice down here, focused primarily on managing the size of commercial endeavors. The concern is that this phrase will get overworked to the point of becoming trite. Rumor has it that tea partiers were going to adopt "don't break the neck" in opposition to increased millage rates to pay our fire/EMS a living wage. But I digress...
Are the medians a good thing? I feel strongly both ways. They will replace a suicide lane, which is a friggin' nightmare during tourist season (Jan - Dec). The right-of-way rule for this middle turn lane is "biggest truck wins". It is dangerous and getting worse every day. The median will limit the points at which a driver can make a left turn across oncoming traffic. The opposition is primarily the local businesses who feel (probably correctly) that it will be harder for drivers to get to their stores. The median project will also likely mean more stop lights, which will mean more congestion and interruption of traffic flow.
IMO, the "beauty" issue is just a smokescreen the opposition is throwing into the mix. There's nothing scenic about the current suicide lane, unless you count the pieces of bumpers and fenders that get scattered around there. The median will potentially have landscaping, which if nothing else, will improve the looks over the current situation.
There have been a number of articles on the project and the controversy. Here's one WPDE Story that turned up in a quick search. The right answer? Dam if I know.
We have been reading about this is the Coastal Observer for the last few weeks, too. Though medians can be a pain to navigate, IMO they are much better than the aptly named "suicide lane" situation currently in place. I think that the business community fears that their shops will suffer, but it seems to me that if someone has a store/business they need/want to visit that they will do what it takes to make that happen.
As PD says, a planted median would be much more attractive anyway.
PD, I knew I could count on you to bring me up to speed.
After I got done laughing at "don't break the neck" , I watched the WPDE Story you posted. I must say the images that were in my mind of what it would look like did not resemble what they showed in that piece in the least. Honestly, I thought it looked quite attractive.
Although I don't travel down that way often enough to see that magnitude of the "suicide lane" problem, I must say I have always been puzzled by it. I guess at one time there wasn't enough traffic to make it a problem .... it is either that or there is an amendment I am unaware of the right to travel down the center of the road regardless which direction you are going ....maybe distinct turning lanes are too much regulation? ... Oh, I'm kidding ... OK back to matter at hand
Busydesk, I tend to agree that if someone wants to get to a business they would take the extra time to go a little further down the road and turn around to do so. After all, how much out of the way would one have to go? I think what would be more harm to the businesses than people having to go a little out of their way might be that they are no longer as visible to the other side. It wouldn't be the case for the locals, but it might be for those not as familiar as to what is where. Come to think of it though, that might make it safer as well. I find the worst drivers to be the ones looking from side to side trying to figure out where they are going and then slamming on their brakes or doing a quick lane change when finding what they were looking for.
...I guess at one time there wasn't enough traffic to make it a problem ....
Yep, this project is the offspring of coastal "progress", and there really is no good answer and no winners. Not too many years ago at all, the eastern side of Hwy 17 along this project area held very little but trees, with an occasional break where you could see the ocean. No one arriving today would believe it, but since this stretch of 17 has no sidewalks or good shoulders, many long-time locals used the suicide lane for riding their bikes back and forth to work or the store. Today, attempting to do that would define "suicide".
Unfortunately, in recent years, our business model has been the dollar bill, and very quickly, the trees are now gone, replaced by wall-to-wall shops. You can't have it both ways. We've made our bed and it's now time to lie in it.
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Besides any problem it might cause, it would just be dang ugly! Any thoughts on the subject.
, I watched the WPDE Story you posted. I must say the images that were in my mind of what it would look like did not resemble what they showed in that piece in the least. Honestly, I thought it looked quite attractive. 
the right to travel down the center of the road regardless which direction you are going ....maybe distinct turning lanes are too much regulation? 
... Oh, I'm kidding 
