If I could take aim at a single issue for our municipal candidates to ponder, it would our streets.
Getting from Point A to Point B hasĀ become a bit of a struggle at times, even in Amarillo, the city I used to joke had its “rush minute” daily at 8 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. It’s not so funny these days.
I am hearing from one of the candidates for City Council speaking in general terms about street maintenance and — in a related matter — traffic control.
Ginger Nelson is running for mayor along with two other candidates. I’ve already commented on her pledge to work with state transportation officials to negotiate a maintenance agreement to improve and maintain the appearance of the public rights-of-way along Interstate 40 and 27. I’m all for it!
She is speaking also about “considering all transit options like buses and bicycles to meet the needs of citizens.” Good deal. She can start that effort by talking to Parks and Recreation officials about how they can complete a citywide bicycle network that is supposed to enable residents to get anywhere in the city on a bicycle.
I have been patient for many years now as I have sought to navigate my way through the city. Streets get repaved regularly. Crews tear up asphalt on major thoroughfares and put fresh surfaces down. They remain in pristine condition far too briefly before patching crews show up.
Nelson wants to spend “street improvement bond money wisely.” I hope she articulates her definition of “wisely.” I’m all ears.
Finally, she hopes to develop “a plan for long-term maintenance of our streets.”Ā Good. I’ll await that plan, too.
Street repair and maintenance — along with developing routes for alternative transportation modes — is important at many levels.
We remain tied to automobiles in Amarillo. There’s little emphasis placed on using mass transit methods, such as the buses run by Amarillo City Transit. Maybe we can get more residents into our buses and out of their own motor vehicles. The fewer cars and pickups tooling down our streets, the less wear and tear on the pavement. Isn’t that a sensible outcome?
This election, I need to stipulate once again, is going to be a major event in the history of Amarillo. We’re getting a new City Council majority.
I want allĀ the candidates to talk openly toĀ residents about what they intend to do about our streets, upon which we depend to get from place to place.
One candidate for mayor at least is starting the conversation. For that I am grateful. Let’s develop it further.
Judging from her profound lack of professional judgment and complete lack of ethics, Ginger Nelson is hardly fit to be mayor.
I came very very close to reporting her to the State bar-and now almost tens years later wish I had- for her grossly unethical choice to victimize my since deceased elderly parents-both financially and emotionally-in order to save her own skin.
Instead of advising her clients to drop what she had indisputably discovered from our attorney was an abusive and fraudulent guardianship case, she pushed it into mediation for the express purpose of retaining her fees and avoiding exposure of her incompetence in Judge Wares court.