Audubon official shares suggestions

By Patrick Johnston

Published: June 13, 2008

An official with Audubon Partnership discussed his organization’s final recommendations for Eufaula’s future last week.
David Risinger, director of Audubon Partnership, spent nearly an hour talking about recommendations for future land use planning – particularly along the proposed western alternate route, or parkway, for U.S. Highway 431 – at the Eufaula Community Center. Risinger talked with city officials, members of the planning and zoning boards and other interested citizens.
He said now is the time to plan for growth – even though there appears to be little if any occurring now in the city.
“This is a critical time in your history,” he said. “Now is the best time to worry about it. Growth will come.”
He referred to a Wall Street Journal article that described a region from north Georgia to southwest Alabama, including southeast Alabama, as a “future growth region.”
Risinger urged those in attendance to continue working toward sustainability. That occurs when there is social equity, environmental responsibility and economic viability.
“Eufaula controls its own destiny,” he said. “It has an opportunity to control growth.”
He said the proposed alternate route is needed to help deal with the growing number of large trucks that pass through Eufaula on a daily basis.
“The volume of through truck traffic in this community is not sustainable,” he said. “The long-haul, through trucks don’t want to be in Downtown Eufaula.”
Risinger suggested that most of the future residential and commercial growth will occur along the edges of the alternate route – particularly toward the north.
“Future growth and development should be encouraged,” Risinger said. “You should seriously try to control sprawl out west.”
He said the city is smart in considering what the route will look like and what areas should be designated as growth areas – even though the 7.2 mile, $70 million project is at least several years from completion if the project ever starts.
“When that road is built, you’ll know what will happen around it,” he said.
Risinger and other Audubon officials have suggested that the right-of-way of the proposed route be narrower, even though there will still be two 12-foot wide driving lanes in each direction.
In one sketch drawing they showed trees on each side and in the median, walking and biking lanes (a safe distance away from the roadway) and lighting for pedestrians and motorists. They predict that would make the route safer, with a designed speed of 50 to 55 mph as opposed to 65 mph.
Risinger also talked last Friday about using roundabouts – a circular intersection where traffic flows around a center island – to and from the route.
He says that would eliminate the need for traffic signals, be more aesthetically pleasant, safer and cost efficient. He said the flow of traffic would also move better because there would be no stopping at the traffic signal.
Eufaula Mayor Jay Jaxon called Friday’s meeting the “culmination of a very important process” while referring back to the Eufaula 2020 planning process which included input from more than 1,000 citizens.
“This is the plan of the people of Eufaula,” he said. “This is an ongoing, living, breathing vision for Eufaula.”
Risinger will send the Audubon Partnership’s written report to city officials in the next few weeks.