Steve Litt had to swerve and swivel in writing about the Opportunity Corridor - the road Cleveland’s Establishment now finds irresistible. The reason: His boss.
Litt, the Plain Dealer’s architectural critic, did well in being honest about a touchy issue for a Plain Dealer writer. However, he had to tread lightly in Sunday’s article.
After all, Terry Egger, his boss, is co-chairing the panel put together by the Greater Cleveland Partnership to push the “Opportunity Corridor.” Egger is publisher of the PD.
Why he would put himself into this situation can only be read as a need for power. Don’t see it any other way.
Co-chairman Egger had the public panel’s first meeting held incommunicado from the public, which will pay for it. Where? In his Plain Dealer’s offices. Weeks ago.
There is nothing like guarded secrecy from the same people who demand transparency of others. That’s the Plain Dealer.
Litt is a big booster of the road but he outlined some of the problems of a panel chosen to tell us that “We need this!” It’s the cry for another big project.
As someone mentioned to me today, I thought the Euclid Corridor was the highway from downtown and the interstate roads to University Circle. Didn’t we just spend more than $200 million for that? Yes, we did.
For that matter shouldn’t we be moving away from encouraging private transportation? Should we not be improving public transportation, doing everything we can to encourage people to use mass transit rather than getting in their auto. Shouldn’t we be moving people away from trying to save two or ten minutes by constructing multi-million dollar roadways?
I think the answer is YES.
As usual our leadership – the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Plain Dealer, Cleveland Foundation and Gund Foundation, prime funders of the panel – moves us in the wrong direction. Very expensive wrong direction. The foundations anted up $100,000 each for a phony public show. Just give us slogans.
The less than three mile road – from E. 55th & I-490 to E. 105th – will cost an estimated $350 million.
Litt correctly gives us citations from the Federal Highway Administration Web site about requirements that the public be involved in such decision-making.
That’s like saying children should behave or be quiet.
Not going to happen.
He quotes Egger saying that his “point of view is that the public’s business needs to be done in public.” Publicly? In his office. Are you kidding?
Egger says that even as he holds the panel meeting in his own offices at the Plain Dealer. In private. No press allowed.
What utter nonsense. None of this “planning” is going to be done with any real public input.
Litt and Chris Warren, Mayor Frank Jackson’s director of regional development, credit the panel with being more diverse. Litt cites membership by three Cleveland City Council members. Pleeeze!
We have another stacked deck, citizens. They could change the name of the city to Rigged Ohio. Nobody would notice and the foundations would pay for it.
Links:
[1] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/content/only-kind-words-voinovich-plain-dealer
[2] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/content/roldo-bartimole-0
[3] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/content/opportunity-or-crime-progress-350-million-road