After the 'Cuff bragged on how the green grass had grown "all around" this summer ... during the past few weeks there has been a complete reversal of climate irregularity. I don't use that thrown-around term "climate change" because it's been changing from year to year as long as I can remember; hence climate changes occur irregularly. Hasn't it been happening since record keeping began?
Wasn't it just a few, some 20 or 30 years ago, when the experts warned us on the airwaves and in numerous publications that we were about to enter a new ice age? Since the last ice age occurred ??? years ago, it might be time for another one ... or possibly the world is experiencing a normal "hot flash" that will run its course. Remember the '30s?
Don't get me wrong. I believe firmly in protecting the environment and all the good earthly gifts humankind has received. But when common sense sometimes goes out the window, it may be time to reboot and be practical from a personal and economic approach. With some nine billion people grubbing around on earth today, compared with (possibly) a billion a million years ago, it's unavoidable we're using more oxygen and exhaling more CO2. Maybe we should just slow down our breathing? Note that was a question.
Let's get down to the 'Cuff topic that's been rolling around in the old noggin' at least for the past 30 years or so. What is it? That's right, it's time again to talk highways ... specifically, let's say Highway 59 from Gentry to the Missouri state line and Highway 72 west from Gravette to the Oklahoma state line.
Let's look at Highway 72 first. Wasn't it almost 75 years ago when a Gravette man symbolically climbed an Empire Electric pole and sat there to promote paving the dirt road west from Gravette to Maysville? Banker and service station/garage owner Stokes Ballard appeared in a picture, on the front page of the Gravette News Herald, as he was coming down from his perch. Then Governor Sid McMath announced the road would be paved. The governor delivered. Of course, it took the efforts of many to promote that project.
At that time U.S. Highway 71 came south from Missouri to Gravette, turned east on Main Street, went east a few blocks to Kindley Park, dipped a block south and then headed toward Bentonville. A few years later 71 in Gravette was moved south a block to what is now Atlanta Street, perhaps as an omen of a change to come. It happened a few years later when old Highway 71, called the Prize Drive of the Ozarks, was rerouted east in Missouri through Pineville, and then south to the gentle community of Bella Vista. It then continued south along an existing route which only changed when the four-lane highway was constructed through the hills south toward Fort Smith. I never thought I'd live to see that day. It was when Highway 71 left Gravette that the highway through Gravette was renamed state number 72.
Some time ago -- was it in the '70s or '80s? -- the area buzzed with a rumor that an interstate-type highway was heading south from Kansas, through the eastern edge of Oklahoma, then east toward Gravette. From the proposed location, which was to be just south of town, it headed on a southeastern direction toward Fayetteville. A proposed drawing of that plan also appeared in the local paper. What happened, you ask? You should have heard the whining and bellyaching and opposition to such a project that would "ruin the area," similar to the uproar that occurred when an airport for northwest Arkansas was first proposed. The proposed highway never materialized but, fortunately, the airport became a reality.
It is great that millions have been spent on the upgrading of what eventually will become Interstate 49. The AHD, Arkansas Highway Department, indicates it has millions reserved to complete 49 north to the Missouri line. It is a great project, one which I'm tempted to again say I'll never live long enough to see completed. So, why is my thinking process all fired up concerning highways?
Let's just use a simple word, "shoulders," and for good measure add a mental picture of the decaying, scary and dangerous bridge on Highway 59 at the north edge of Decatur. It is rumored that bridge is being considered for replacement or upgrading. Let's hope rumor becomes reality. That leaves the word shoulders.
It was in the late '80s that Highway 72 east from Gravette received an upgrading project which added wide shoulders on both sides of the two lanes. Thank goodness those shoulders are there; at least they allow drivers to head for the shoulder when they meet an approaching vehicle, big truck or a center line-hugging motorcycle. Needing upgrading and widening are the narrow or almost nonexistent shoulders on Highway 72 west from Gravette. And shoulders on the major north-south route need to be widened, to match the wide ones at Gentry, north through Decatur, Gravette, Sulphur Springs and further north to a mile from the Missouri state line. (The shoulders on the final mile to Missouri were widened appropriately when bridges were upgraded several years ago).
Do we need to make 59 and 72 four-laners? That would be nice but will probably not be considered for many years. But, daggum it, now that the millions spent on multi-lanes along the mid-county strip are being completed, it's time to bring the major routes on the west side of Benton County into the 21st century, at least with wide shoulders. And don't forget that bridge.
What will it take to get these improvements scheduled? Will it take some fast thinking and progressive citizen climbing a utility pole to promote the project? Do we have a volunteer? Or volunteers? And -- who will call the Governor?
Dodie Evans is the former owner and longtime editor of the Gravette News Herald. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 09/13/2017