DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Highway 61 correspondence and documents, 1968-1974 | 1970-06-30 Fort Madison Branch, NAACP to Federal Highway Administration, Equal Opportunity Administration Page 3

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Highway 61 correspondence and documents, 1968-1974

1970-06-30 Fort Madison Branch, NAACP to Federal Highway Administration, Equal Opportunity Administration Page 3

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The Federal expense will come to much more by building the Highway through the city than by building the by-pass, which we are told is "on the drawing board", anyhow. The brunt of this burden will be carried by the working class of people who will already be asked to sacrifice so a few of the more affluent citizens can make a profit. It is a known fact that the man who has the option on most of the property around the present limits of the city, actively engaged people in a campaign to keep minority groups out of areas which he had developed.

9. There have been several fatal accidents within the city limits, which were caused because large trucks which were traveling through the city, had trouble maneuvering on the hills, curves and stops.

10. The Chamber of Commerce and their Business and Industry Committee, are constantly working on and succeeding in, bringing new industry into the area. It is true that jobs are needed, however, the increasing industralization of this valley town, is also causing more pollution of the air and the river. By building a Highway which would by-pass the town, pollution would be cut down, somewhat.

11. None of the people who have been involved in the decision making, have homes in or around the area which will be affected by the re-routing of the Highway. We have been told that no-one has a vested interest in this planned relocation, but the changes that have been made have come about because influential business men have pressed for them.

12. The first Public Hearing, regarding the plans for the relocation of US Highway 61, was held on March7, 1968 at Sacred Heart Hall. At that time, over 300 persons were in attendance, and only the City representatives rose in favor of the highway relocation. Since that time, we have been informed that the highway will take another route. As is required, I am certain that there was a hearing. However, it was not publicized enough so that interested parties could attend to register their protests. Most of the people in the are which will be most affected, feel as I and many others do, that the hearings are a "sham". Petitions were sent to the Iowa Highway Commission in 1968 as well as to the Federal Government. These, of course, had no effect. The original petitions are still in my files.

13. We, as taxpayers, are paying for the building of Highways. It is no pleasure to travel and have to come through a town as long as this one, just because the business men of the community feel it will help them. People who are going to stop, here, will. Those who are traveling through, will find it disgusting. Not even the scenery will compensate for the inconvenience. Ugly buildings and railroad tracks are hardly delightful. A By-Pass which would overlook the city and the Mississippi River would be less costly to the Federal Government and the humans who are going to be forced to move into undesirable

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3 The Federal expense will come to much more by building the Highway through the city than by building the by-pass, which we are told is "on the drawing board", anyhow. The brunt of this burden will be carried by the working class of people who will already be asked to sacrifice so a few of the more affluent citizens can make a profit. It is a known fact that the man who has the option on most of the property around the present limits of the city, actively engaged people in a campaign to keep minority groups out of areas which he had developed. 9. There have been several fatal accidents within the city limits, which were caused because large trucks which were traveling through the city, had trouble maneuvering on the hills, curves and stops. 10. The Chamber of Commerce and their Business and Industry Committee, are constantly working on and succeeding in, bringing new industry into the area. It is true that jobs are needed, however, the increasing industralization of this valley town, is also causing more pollution of the air and the river. By building a Highway which would by-pass the town, pollution would be cut down, somewhat. 11. None of the people who have been involved in the decision making, have homes in or around the area which will be affected by the re-routing of the Highway. We have been told that no-one has a vested interest in this planned relocation, but the changes that have been made have come about because influential business men have pressed for them. 12. The first Public Hearing, regarding the plans for the relocation of US Highway 61, was held on March7, 1968 at Sacred Heart Hall. At that time, over 300 persons were in attendance, and only the City representatives rose in favor of the highway relocation. Since that time, we have been informed that the highway will take another route. As is required, I am certain that there was a hearing. However, it was not publicized enough so that interested parties could attend to register their protests. Most of the people in the are which will be most affected, feel as I and many others do, that the hearings are a "sham". Petitions were sent to the Iowa Highway Commission in 1968 as well as to the Federal Government. These, of course, had no effect. The original petitions are still in my files. 13. We, as taxpayers, are paying for the building of Highways. It is no pleasure to travel and have to come through a town as long as this one, just because the business men of the community feel it will help them. People who are going to stop, here, will. Those who are traveling through, will find it disgusting. Not even the scenery will compensate for the inconvenience. Ugly buildings and railroad tracks are hardly delightful. A By-Pass which would overlook the city and the Mississippi River would be less costly to the Federal Government and the humans who are going to be forced to move into undesirable