Quote:
Originally Posted by steveburbank
Ok, that makes sense actually. Didn't realize the difference in population. And I've seen youtube walking tour videos of Idaho Falls, and it does seem more developed than Twin. I think I avoided considering I.F. due to conversation here about the colder weather compared to Twin Falls
|
Idaho Falls looks more developed than Twin Falls on a walking tour because I.F.'s city government began a development program designed to make Idaho Falls look developed.
Some of this program was done in hopes of keeping the millions of tourists who pass through Idaho Falls stay a little longer and spend a little money here before going on to the next National Park.
Idaho Falls has always made civic improvement a high order on city planning ever since the city was founded. We have a lot more public parks and facilities than the average city of our size here. The zoning regulations often include beatification as part of the regulations, so there are many very pretty streets here that are lined with trees and such.
Idaho Falls has always been a nice place to live in, especially for families. For the city, the beautification makes for more business, and Idaho Falls has been highly business-oriented from the very first pioneers who made this place their home.
But for almost all my life, all the entrances to town made it appear otherwise. Freeway exits were all placed in the fringes of town where the land had no better use than a junkyard. A stranger who came off the Interstate only saw old dilapidated sheds, ancient fencing that was falling apart, an other scruffy junk.
it gave tourists and other strangers the wrong impression. So they would come, find a place to eat and/or stay the night, and then move on without ever taking a short tour around town.
Those who did take a tour couldn't ever see our best stuff because there were no street guides to direct them to our parks, swimming pools, golf courses, or even the town's main shopping district.
Most never bothered. They would take a short walk on our beautiful river banks that surround the falls, tour the old downtown area which was mostly abandoned, and go back to a motel.
The City Council hired a big-city outfit to come in and make an assessment of what I.F. needed to keep more folks here longer. That began about 10-15 years ago.
That assessment resulted in some very nice looking features that were built by all the freeway exits, with the main exits getting the best of them; one is a small artificial waterfall surrounded by flowers and a great looking Idaho Falls sign. Others are less fancy.
I.F. now has attractive city signage that directs strangers from the thoroughfare streets to all the amenities. There are more improvements, such as new bike lanes, better walkways, etc, and all this is ongoing.
A stranger doesn't get lost now looking for a place they want to go. The direction signage is distinctive, very easy to spot, and very well place. The city's paper maps coordinate with the signage.
It all has paid off big time. Idaho Falls has become more of a destination city now, where tourists can stay for days as their central location, instead of a couple of hours or an overnight.
Or find medical help for a sudden health emergency.
Idaho Falls is more developed. We did it all intentionally.
Most towns in Idaho haven't taken this approach yet. Twin Falls is as pretty as Idaho Falls in some ways, and it has the most spectacular natural feature of all with Shoshone Falls. it's higher than Niagara, and the first view stuns everyone.
But only if you can find the falls. A visitor has to specifically search for the falls to see them- there's very little indication in Twin of where they're located or how to get there.
From the Interstate, no traveller can see the beauty or industry of almost all our cities from the highway. It's always in the heart of town, hidden from easy view.
The highways skirt the best stuff because they're on land best suited for highways. That's especially true with the Interstates.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
