PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE..........
by James Franklin King Saturday, Jul. 10, 2004 at 5:12 PM
homeager@webtv.net

Concrete highways dominate travel and promote urban sprawl, but look at
your map again ~ there used to be a way to travel directly from Lake
Erie to the Ohio River and visa versa ~ by boat.

1. ~ The shortest link was only 80 miles long: Cleveland to E.Liverpool
via the recently protected CVNRA section of Ohio/Erie Canal and the
magical Beaver/Sandy Canal - now in decay and worthy of National
attention as well, but only a few will know of it's beauty until it is
also restored. Europe and others continue to advance canal
technology, shipping and trade markets.

2. ~ Lake Erie is accessible to over 5,000 miles of Northern shoreline,
where today (for example) many ship to St. Louis or New Orleans for
goods, service or pleasure, however, they must go all the way up Lake
Huron and completely around Michigan, then river over to the Mississippi
- requiring a week's more time with little reward or salvation.
Restoring our short link is the ultimate trip, saving over 700 choppy
miles, one can rediscover scenic, cultural, recreational and educational
activities along the way ~ past restored little villages, crafts,
produce, protected parks and bike trails....


3. ~ This will also allow new life and commerce to flow down the Ohio
River to revitalize literally hundreds of Southern ghost-towns, enroute
to the gulf; along the 3,000 mile banks of PA, WV, OH, KY, IN, etc. ~
circulating renewed energy to our lifestyles and economy. This
Inner-coastal water-way provides an endless Loop where we have nothing
to lose and everything to gain with these neighbors. This Link is
more than romantic and better than Disney ~ imagine....

4. ~ Based on emerging global technology in shipping and canal
innovations, we can also have a separate, modern super-canal along our
(90 mile) OH/PA border to split costs. This direct, hydro-electric
transport line will revive today's depressed areas far more than
sniffing around Mars so let's give our planet an opportunity to thrive
right here at home with that kind of money.

5 ~ 70 Million people and goods can access each other, trade, profit and
grow because it is a sustainable resource so let's use it (wisely) or
lose it - we're already losing college grads, industry and everything
else, but it's best to reunite with our source before global warming
forces us to ~ while we can appreciate it!

Please forward this to someone with a sense of perspective, thanks.
Sincerely,
James Franklin King, Architect
Cleveland, Ohio 44131-1941
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PS - This story has provided a flood of positive ideas, for example:
sustainable electric boats (solar, wind, hydro) are energy efficient,
clean, quiet and can easily become a new industry to off-set fossil fuel
pollution.

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