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Which would be worse? Port Huron getting stuck with an expanded Bridge Plaza? Or Port Huron getting stuck with an expanded Bridge Plaza while reaping no benefit from it? |
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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Acheson Ventures is already implementing plans to build up Desmond Landing as a major waterfront development. Wouldn't it be great if our border crossing made it easy to direct traffic down there, so some of the thousands who cross the border each day could appreciate that effort? Desmond Landing is already at a disadvantage for traffic coming from Canada because it can't be seen from the Bridge. Also, our current Plaza design doesn't help at all. Traffic coming from Canada has effectively two spots at which it can exit to to Desmond Landing, and both are weak. One is the Plaza itself, and good luck to any stranger trying to make it from Hancock & Pine Grove to Desmond Landing. The other is Water Street, which is a bit more direct (Water to 10th to Lapeer to the Landing), but the exit is so confusing and difficult that a stranger would be daunted. The new Plaza and Corridor plans offer an opportunity to strengthen both these exits. If properly designed, the Plaza could "net" visitors off right in Port Huron, and the rebuilt exchange at Water Street could offer another point where people could be directed to the waterfront. There's also a Welcome Center planned as part of the Corridor initiative. Information about Desmond Landing and Port Huron could be placed there to interest visitors, but that would be a weak "net" because there's no easy way to get from westbound I-94 to eastbound Business 69. Unless someone talked to MDOT about making one. Nobody is suggesting that the Plaza expansion is going to miraculously cause any of these things to happen. If they happen, it'll be because some forward-thinking area residents seized the initiative and built for the future instead of clinging to the past. However, a properly redesigned Plaza could be a good start in facilitating some of these changes – for instance, by making it easy for traffic to get off at Port Huron to access these services. One thing is for certain: the current Plaza structure will seriously hinder any such development. It will continue to pipe traffic out of Port Huron and down the road where other communities will benefit from serving them. |
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