w m Grand River Avenue: a running battle •A«p«anx mmm Stories and photos by the accident increase on traffic which clogs the BILL WHITING thoroughfare and he resignedly admits that State News Staff Writer from an operational standpoint, little more can be done to alleviate the £ congestion. Melvin says it is nearly impossible to provide A concrete quagmire sits astride East any more lanes along the avenue, which reduces Lansing which threatens to drown the MSU the options to a rechanneling of traffic along an community in a sea of busted bumpers, frazzled alternative route or reducing its volume through nerves, poisoned air and shattered dreams. mass transit. The community is finding itself increasingly Melvin and State Highway Dept. bogged down by M- 43, Grand River Avenue. Everyone agrees it's a problem but few have officials, who regulate use of the street because of its status as a state trunk line, agree that it agreed on any solution. has become so saturated with vehicles that it is According to latest traffic count figures taken in 1970, more than 48,000 vehicles all but impossible to add any more. per day rumble through the center of the city, And the Grand River Avenue malady isn't across from the Union the second — largest confining itself to six lanes north of campus. highway traffic volume in Michigan. Traffic counts indicate that more motorists are What astounds most officials is that the conflict of so many cars and pedestrians opting for side street detours through the campus and city residential areas to avoid heavy produces so few injuries. TTiey credit most of that phenomenon to fleet congestion at rush hours. - footed students who can dart swiftly among moving vehicles. Though the University is the heaviest Yet in 1972 traffic accidents increased to an contributor of traffic in the metropolitan area, all - time high, numbering approximately 558 the problem is compounded by traffic to and Fear shows up on the faces of many on Grand River and Michigan avenues, the main from so - called bedroom communities in students crossing Grand River east west corridors through East Meridian Township. Grand River Avenue is the - Lansing — at Avenue who are forced to contend least 67 accidents more than in 1971. major channel for that traffic. with an onslaught of fume - City traffic engineer Gordon Melvin blames Highway department planners thought they belching traffic. U VI' ir.luoub What astounds most officials is that the conflict of so many cars and pedestrians produces so few injuries. had the problem solved in 1949 when they between area government and commercial The East Lansing Mass Transit Committe, reached an agreement with the University for a interests and student organizations and appointed by the council to study alternatives, right - of - way along the Grand Trunk Railroad environmental concerns. This was the first real is working closely with the commission, which tracks on south campus. test of student power vs. established concerns. recently was funded $210,000 by the Urban The State Highway Commission reacted Mass Transportation Administration, a federal They envisioned a traffic corridor acting as a feeder to the angrily to the trustee decision to seek further agency. Nearly $100,000 of this will be used to University, tying in with a master alternatives by calling the route a dead issue finance mass transit planning, with the transportation scheme for the metropolitan and reallocating $10 million earmarked for its remaining portion of the $315,000 project area. A four - lane parkway was slated for construction. coming from funds from East Lansing, Lansing, construction' just south of South and East state and regional sources. Complex residence halls, tying in Trowbridge Hard feelings are still Road with Grand River Avenue near the festering over the environmental name calling that took place - • Burton Cardwell, chairman of the transit railroad overpass in Meridian Township. and the debate has not really ended, committee, says his committee, which will only But in 1971 retreated behind closed doors as officials bide include approximately 12 members, with plans for a cross - campus route their time and play the waiting representatives from ASMSU and the Married were scrapped following a one - two punch game. The from the board of trustees and the city council planners and the engineers are cautious in their Students Union, will work with the tri county - which opposed the plan and asked that further pronouncements but confident that the study to determine area activity centers for alternatives be explored. growing traffic problem will eventually force mapping mass transit proposals as well as Sparked by a growing political influence of the trustees and the council to return to the highway planning. newly - enfranchised students, the debate cross - campus route as the only solution. Though the study will take from 16 to 18 evolved into a major campaign issue in the city months to complete, Cardwell says he hopes While the highway department has expressed council elections in the fall of 1971. Two new they would develop an alternative to Grand a willingness to cooperate with other agencies River Avenue congestion more satisfactory than councilmen, George Colburn and George in studying alternatives, it has declined to the cross campus route. Griffiths, were elected that November on a initiate any new studies or expend funds itself. - student oriented platform which included In the meantime, however, many motorists - Thus, the task has been passed to the Tri - and pedestrians are voicing complaints about rejection of the cross - campus concept. County Regional Planning Commission which A public hearing before the trustees in inaction to solve traffic tieups. has initiated a traffic study of the metropolitan October that year saw a distinct division (continued on page 4) state News, liasf I ,a/i.si/»K. Mic/ii^an "MSU is the largest generator of traffic those people out there." — John Wood (continued from page 3) "I don't know how the University can claim 'congressional immunity' in this thing," R. J. Tavolier, manager of the Meridian Mali says. '"Iliey're public servants and their primary concern has to be the community." Tavolier pleads his primary motivation in supporting the cross - campus route is his personal concern over Grand River Avenue congestion, rather than any beneficial effect it may have on mall business. In a recent letter to President Wharton and the trustees, Tavolier requested the University to reopen the dialog with the highway department over the route. He argues that the trustees must look ahead to rising problems, predicting that the Grand River Avenue situation will be disastrous in three years. East Lansing City Councilman George Colburn, who sponsored the city resolution to withdraw support for the cross - campus route, is also impatient — but in a differnet manner. "I thought that if the public policy - making bodies made it clear they opposed this idea, they would have to come up with an Since the State Highway Commission dried up funds for improving Grand River Avenue traffic tieups, road reparis have been kept to a minimum - creating tidal wave conditions for pedestrians who walk next to lakelike gutters. Tuesday, A^pril \~7, \973 S of traffic in the area...You ran hardly maintain a parklike atmosphere when you have all hn Woodford alternative," he says. "That doesn't seem to be "I don't think the alternative to congestioL in 30 to 40 hearings what the people felt more happening." is continually laying down more and more than anybody in the highway department," he Colburn says that the spirit of his resolution concrete for cars to drive on. It's suicide." says. "But the people in East Lansing have the to cooperate in finding more acceptable While most officials voice pessimism over the power to elect us, and I elect us, and I challenge alternatives has been frustrated by the attitude likely success of changing the attitude of the anyone to make a case for the cross - campus of noninvolvement taken by the highway motorist, Colburn remains optimistic that a route in the '73 campaign." department. good transit system with a low fare would do just that. While Colburn's determination has not Colburn is critical of the city planning "I can't shed too many tears over the flagged since the confrontation, both the commission's failure to request money this year council and the board of trustees have come to buy minibuses for public transportation individual motorist — that person who is saying under heavy criticism from Lansing and state through East Lansing, especially along north - 'serve me' or 'I want to drive my big car by officials, as well as some local residents and south routes tying into the campus bus myself because it's convenient for me,' " businessmen who dispute their opposition to system "Three councilmen are going to have Colburn says. "We've gone our share down the road to provide more convenient public the route. State Highway Director JOHN P. to get together and make a committment for Woodford, a resident of Okemos, denies equipment to provide relief for traffic transportation but the individual has to come environmentalist pleadings that the highway congestion in East Lansing," he warns. halfway to meet us. People must help." would do extensive damage to the campus. As for Grand River Avenue, Colburn admits Despite poor service and constant money it is a nuisance and an inconvenience, but "MSU is the largest traffic generator in the problems of the Capitol Area Transit argues that it is not sufficient reason to destroy area. They can't isolate themselves and still Authority, Colburn is confident that mass the MSU campus. have their goods coming and going," he says. transit is the only rational alternative to turning over the area to concrete and automobiles. He says that the cross - campus highway was "You can hardly maintain a parklike "We've got to give it a try," he says. "If we probably the prime issue in his campaign for atmosphere when you have all those people out council. there." had a good public transportation system we wouldn't have people driving. "When I was a candidate for office, I heard (continued on page 6) pasoddo iii*in oav^ tsnooj "We have 5*140 acres of land lying astride the natural route of the region." Motorists are forced either to come through the campus or scoot around.'" — Milton Baron (continued from page 5) Other University, «ty personnel and Baron says the route would help to reduce Comparing the campus to a city of 50,000, planners, who tnougn't the highway would the vehicular traffic on campus and the conflict Woodford argues that the University has a benefit the University, were embarrassed of by pedestrians and vehicles on Grand responsibility to provide adequate feeder routes trustee unwillingness to uphold a long standing RiverAvenue. to handle the large traffic volumes. agreement with the state. In addition, the highway department was Woodford also maintains that the highway "The University has long realized the prepared to budget extra funds to make the department lived up to the spirit of the trustee route a parkway unlike the typical resolution in exploring alternatives. importance of good relations with the community, visually and in the movement of superhighway. However, only a few alternatives were traffic to the campus," Milton The route would also provide a necessary tie Baron, director seriously explored prior to the trustee decision of campus parks and - in with newly developed areas south of the to request further study. These included planning says. "What railroad tracks bothers me is that we had a moral now effectively removed from routing traffic along M - 78, Mt. Hope Road committment that that land would be made the north section of campus. The medical and even Jolly Road. Campus route school complex, planned to be 175 acres — opponents available to tie in M - 43, M - 78, M - 27 and I - heavily favored adapting Mt. Hope Road to the 496." one of the largest units of its kind in the purpose, but highway planners dismissed it as country — would have been opened up by the being too far south to be effective as a Lansing At the time of the 1949 agreement between route. Meridian corridor. the University and the State Highway Dept., - however, only a few buildings existed on the As it is, the University has implemented Such a plan would also fail to tie in to the south side of the Red Cedar River and the only plans to develop an extension surface crossing Trowbridge Road interchange which was built activity to be disturbed near the proposed seven connecting Bogue Street with the medical several years ago to tie in to the mile campus route, - - long construction site was farming. complex. Though it should be completed next they argued. Today the area is heavily populated with fall at a major expense to the University, the While Woodford denies the highway residence halls and classroom buildings. road extension is already considered inadequate department is delaying development of mass because of the conflict of surface traffic at the transit alternatives, he reflects a belief that the "With as many buildings south of the river as railroad " The cross - campus highway can be ,a we have now it's very important to have public will not abandon their cars for mass demonstration of what is good rather than what transit. another access to the campus," Baron a two barrel road might look like maintains. - going "Only 7 per cent of the people are making But several department representatives have through the community," Baron insists. "And trips by mass transit in urban areas today," he if we lessen the chance of somebody expressed fears that the highway would disrupt getting Only drastic measures — with mowed down, we'll have says. delicate machinery and class activities nearby. accomplished detrimental side effects like banning cars or He says he believes that campus highway something." rationing gas sales — will reduce the car opposition was merely part of the ecology fad While he conceeds that there may be volumes, he adds. which swept the nation and in this instance, at alternatives, he maintains that other proposed least, the impact is adverse to University routes In addition to highway department along Mt. Hope Road also have interests. drawbacks by cutting through Forest Akers disengagement from the expenditure of funds Golf Course and Spartan for further studies of alternatives, major street "We have 5,140 acres of land Village and are not as improvements along Grand River Avenue have lying astride functional as the cross - campus route. the natural routes of the been limited to Meridian region," he says. "It's not an easy problem to solve," he Township and minor "Motorists are forced either to work on an intersection near Evergreen Street. come through laments. "You give up some things but you also the campus or scoot around." gain some." Ihe parkwav would have sliced Milton Baron, director of the Dept. of Campus Parks and through campus parallel to the (irunt Trunk Railroad tracks and south Planning, looks wistfully out a window in the Manly Miles of the South ( Building over the proposed site of the cross cu,nnus route. '>mple\ residence halls in the background. sisijftjffji , •muTt.tj ,>i/j jo r/iKtrijitii rtt/i ctjfijjsn Si*//-t/ punj fa ()1[*£ aanij Focus: two men opposed "Mass transit just takes too much time and time today is geared to dollars — John Patriarche There is a constant low - pitched rumble the traffic needs of the community through commitment from the highway department rolling through .the streets of East Lansing. 1980 and beyond," he says. "But that came to a before entering into a deal. It's reverberations form Grand River screeching halt when the route was turned Though Patriarche says he can live with the Avenue, or M - 43, and how far that rumbling down by the University. council's decision to back away from the cross will eventually be felt is anybody's guess. "But we still have the problem and we have campus route, he remains convinced that it The controversy surrounding the area's most to find a way to handle cars coming in, out and offers the most for the community. congested thoroughfare is the clearest evidence through the University and the community." "Eventually, after they restudy this yet of the impact of the student voter. Patriarche, city manager for 25 years, has whole situation, they'll decide that this Though MSU students did not have a direct worked with highway planners in designing a probably has the most plusses," he maintains. veto over the cross - campus highway, which metropolitan transportation plan to which the "That isn't to say it'll be perfect. But I think was proposed as an alternative to M 43, they campus route was the final link. there are a lot of beautiful highways, and this did have enough political clout to influence and one would reduce our problems a great deal." He readily admits that the thoroughfare is to redirect a 20 - year - old University and Patriarche says he hopes recommendations badly in need of repairs and of major for mass transit proposals can be incorporated community committment to metropolitan modifications but says the highway transit planning. into the cross campus route. But he doubts that department, which must fund such projects, motorists will have a change of heart. For East Lansing City Manager John will not spend large amounts of money until Patriarche, the cross campus highway is a means "It's pretty hard to visualize a mass transit there is a final determination of traffic patterns. of reducing traffic congestion on Grand River Patriarche system that will take you everywhere you want says that needed major to go in a day," he syas. "Mass transit just takes Avenue and of remaking it into a tree - lined, improvements include the replacement of too much time, and time today is geared to pedestrian oriented state. curbs, repaving, improvement of street lighting However, Louis Twardzik, director of the dollars." and a beautification program — all stalled by Dept. of Campus Parks and Planning, sees the the cross campus controversy. City planners have been frustrated in other campus route as an extension of the problem, attempts at traffic improvement since the cross rather than an attempt at solving it. C5ty planners have longed to put a new face Grand River Avenue. They have been - campus decision. Development of a peripheral Both men believe in their causes, which are on route north of Grand River Avenue has been ironically quire similar. But their methods for banking on the cross campus highway to draw stalled by off most commuter traffic so that the avenue Council inaction for over a year. A creating a more liveable community are perhaps public hearing had provided a forum for angry can be returned to city jurisdiction. Plans call irresolvably opposed. Patriarche complains the controversy has left for a reduction from six lanes to four and an opposition from groups of students and environmentalists who criticized plans to build East Lansing in a situation where all it can do increase in pedestrian traffic through a to improve Grand River Avenue is to continue beautification program. through a section of Valley Court Park and "It's not going to happen," Councilman through a student rental housing section. making minor repairs and to fill chuckholes. The reassessment caused by the rejection of the George Colburn countered. "In a university community a lot of things route has left the fate of the avenue in limbo. And even traffic engineer Melvin says become more overblown than they do in other "We had a program all worked out to handle cautiously that he would hold out for a firm communities," Patriarche adds. "Somewhere along the line it has to he recognized that there is a social utility in being able to walk across the street — Louis Twardzik for a community development in a parklike forestall a planned highway incursion through For many residents of the University a community, the halting of proposed street atmosphere - a park where people live and not city park. "The Transportation Act will not allow construction is a positive sign. just visit. "Who has the greater problem?" he asks. them to put a road through a park unless all the "Somewhere along the line it has to be "True, a lot of motorists are inconvenienced. But the primary consideration alternatives are fully explored," he said. "Well, recognized that there is a social utility in being able to walk across the street," Louis Twardzik, should be the people who live there." this is a campus park and in the views of many chairman of the Dept. of Natural Resources Twardzik says the proposed route is an people, we are suggesting that all the emphasized. "Somebody has to place a value on affront to traditional attempts to encourage a alternatives are not fully explored. I think we it." can expect the people in this area to have campus park setting at MSU. He argues the Twardzik, who lives on Grand River Avenue highway department should study every similar views as those in Memphis and expect and lias an office looking out at the site of the alternative, even tunneling Grand River Avenue them to act similarly." proposed cross-campus route, says that planners underground, if it will help alleviate congestion, Twardzik says he would even like to see the up to now have been concerned almost above- ground noise and air pollution. campus formally registered a historic landmark exclusively with the movement of traffic and "I don't think that we've fully addressed the as the first land grant college. While such a step not with the people who live along the route. problem until we've probed the costs," he would be unprecedented for a college campus, He is convinced that the problems of Grand states. Highway officials admit that they have he maintains that the historical significance of River Avenue should remain where they are. not given serious consideration to such a the University is enough justification, while "I have strong feelings-about this campus. proposal because of prohibitive costs. such a step would make it impossible for the There aren't many like it anyplace. It's a place "This is raised as an alternative and state to put through a road of the magnitude of where great numbers of people live. It is unique dismissed out of hand. But that the public the cross-campus route. as a community in itself. should dismiss it, too, distresses me even Twardzik noted that the University is a "Being the size it is • a solid block of land -1 more." he said. prime attraction for people from all over the consider the thought of putting a road of that While he expresses confidence that the state as a sanctuary for nearly 500 different kind through the campus on level with putting trustees and city council will not approve the species of plants. He rejects arguments for the a similar road through a national park. I would cross-campus route, Twardzik didn't rule out route which note the existence of the railroad use every possible alternative before agreeing to the possibility of a legal action being taken to tracks across the campus which act as a barrier putting a road through this unique chunk of prohibit future construction. and environmental disturbance already. land that we call MSU." He cited one recent case in Memphis as an "That's starting out with a false premise and Twardzik envisions the campus as a model example of citizens banding together to building on it," he scowls. "/ V thin L t/tf ftltfrrifitir*' to *4>n^*'st itm is <*»n t iutiti/ty Iftyiti# tl*nrn at tut- ttntl /norc concrete for cttrs to drive on. It's .suicide.99 — (rt'ttr^e (lolburn