[Specialbuddy]

I lived in Bend last year and would move back if I could. It's still a nice place in my mind.

I've also lived in Marquette and 41 doesn't have traffic congestion. Maybe it has bad traffic compared to the rest of the UP but it's still nothing compared to cities with low congestion. A bypass would be a waste of money and is not needed.

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by darstar

Just the bigger picture , thats all. The UP in whole is what I am talking about. The cross UP traffic , the distribution of goods , and the future needs of the Northern tier..... I have no idea who you are , where you have been , and again , I am sorry I offended you , not my intention.

I agree with you about the lake front, and the city's improvement plan.. That is another issue. ( Not so sure about Founders Landing , I think it is ugly...so far, just my opinion ).

Now , the issue of the by-pass , that goes behind downtown. It does however impact , as you said the area along 41 . I agree.
We only hae 3 per cent of Michigan's population , one of the reasons many of us are here. lets try to keep any growth , manageable. That also includes the other areas of Marquette County ( Largest in Michigan ). When you talk in general we are addressing not just Downtown Marquette, but the entire UP. Traffic now and expected in the future , would come from areas outside the County, the State , and even the US. How do we address that ? keep patching up and repair as needed ?...or , plan for the future. Set aside more wild areas , make them off limits to industry , and at the same time encourage industrial parks , and incentives for industry to come here.

This could go on and on , its something every area of the Country struggles with. There are so many " not in my back-yard" scenarios. I wonder how people feel about the Prisons as another example.... I believe in controlled growth , encourage tourism , and promote a better environment for the area, I think you do too , we just may have different ways of achieving it. I think..." build it and they will come" where you think , leave well enough alone ? I wonder how the folks at the Crossroads feel about all this ?

I do agree that it would be wise to have a UP-wide plan for wild areas, timber harvest areas, industrial areas, tourist areas, etc..., but you should probably start another thread if you want to talk about the whole UP. This thread's about Marquette. I just think there are risks to confusing growth with a belief that more highways are needed to force that growth into auto-dependence. The reason people move there and choose to stay is not because of the strip malls. It's the natural beauty mixed with a unique city mixed with some degree of culture and good employment opportunities.

[darstar]

There are a lot of people who would like the UP to get " discovered". Unemployment in Baraga County is 25 per cent. To make matters worse , Pettibone just closed their factory in L'anse. Lets hope Marquette County can live up to the predictions I posted when I started this thread....It is time for the UP to take charge of its own destiny in a responsible way. Don't count on Lansing to be a lot of help, considering the conditions down there these days.....

[kimba01]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

I think when your dealing with the U.P you have to be careful.... most people love it because it is a bit on the "wild" side. Modernizing the U.P would maybe hurt more then help.

Originally Posted by lymelyte

I hope Marquette doesn't get "discovered." I've lived in several places where that happened, most recently Bend, Oregon, which is a hellhole now (compared to what it was) thanks to "progress." If I hear more of this kind of talk, I'll be crossing it off my list of places for relocation. There is an inherent irony in publicizing good places - as soon as people start flocking there because it's so nice, they end up changing it and it ceases to be what they moved there for in the first place.

Agree.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

I do agree that it would be wise to have a UP-wide plan for wild areas, timber harvest areas, industrial areas, tourist areas, etc..., but you should probably start another thread if you want to talk about the whole UP. This thread's about Marquette. I just think there are risks to confusing growth with a belief that more highways are needed to force that growth into auto-dependence. The reason people move there and choose to stay is not because of the strip malls. It's the natural beauty mixed with a unique city mixed with some degree of culture and good employment opportunities.

We agree ! Now , I do think Marquette could benifit from what goes on east of us and west of us. We may be an oasis in the wilderness , which is the main reason I moved here , but we can't go it totally alone. With only 3 per cent of Michigans Population in the UP , we need all the help we can get.