Take a look at our enhanced Articles page to see some thinking that defies the conventional wisdom about the Plaza and economic opportunity in the County.

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	Some maintain that forcing MDOT to cancel the Plaza expansion project to maintain the status quo would be the best possible outcome for Port Huron and the county. We contend that leaving the current Plaza as it is would be a disaster for the City and the entire area. In fact, we suggest that maintaining the status quo would be the second-worst outcome for the project. Why this outrageous claim? Let's look at the current Plaza – how it came about, what it does, and what it doesn't do for the area. When the current Plaza was completed in the mid-1990s, the direct feed from the Bridge to Pine Grove was eliminated. Most bridge traffic was now routed directly onto the expressway out of town. Only locals – or those with careful directions – know that once you clear Customs, the poorly marked ramp on the right is the main exit to Port Huron. If you aren't watching or are in the wrong lane, before you know it you're on the expressway, over the Black River, and gone. Simply put, the current Plaza works like a pipe to carry people out of town. It doesn't bring traffic through Port Huron; it carries traffic over and away from the City. We locals are familiar with crossing the Bridge, so try to think like a stranger for a minute. You're coming across the Bridge from Canada, enjoying the breathtaking view. The lake stretches to the north, and along the shore are green woods and inviting beaches. To the south you see a picturesque inn facing a beautiful waterfront that stretches to a wooded park. The view beckons to you, and after your long journey you'd like to visit it – perhaps see if that inn has a restaurant, or take the kids to that beach. But once you're through Customs, most of the traffic is going onto the expressway. You need to take the expressway eventually, but you'd love to visit that waterfront first. How do you get there? You may notice the ramp to the right, but all you can see that way is gas stations and fast food restaurants. Where is that inn? How to get to the waterfront? Oops – too late. Traffic has carried you onto the expressway and you've left Port Huron and its beautiful waterfront behind. Do you see the problem with the current Plaza? It was designed to streamline border crossing, not to assist the City or area. In fact, there have been people who've come across the Bridge and never known there was a city here! Usually mistakes like this are only seen in hindsight, when it is too late to do anything about them. Major projects like the Plaza are not torn down and rebuilt to facilitate local traffic. Amazingly, we're being offered an opportunity to undo this mistake – and have someone else pay for it! But to undo it, we'll have to have the vision and initiative to avoid the worst possible outcome.