Blacktop & Blue Ribbons

A 287-billion-volt third rail runs through the heart of Lake County and it's called the Route 53 Extension. As readers of this blog are shockingly aware ...

Cutting Corners Around the Route 53 Extension

It seems the only way to fund an environmentally sensitive Route 53 Extension would be to build an environmentally offensive Route 53 Extension. No one from the Route 53/120 Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee was willing to talk -- so your LakeCountyEye did the next best thing and looked up Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, Professor of Creative Finance at the College of Lake County.

"If this project isn't already tied up in red tape" said Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "it's tied up in blue ribbons. What's up with a name like Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee anyways? Do they convene at the County Fair and judge livestock or something? Blue Ribbon is an adjective that's used to describe these ad-hoc rubber-stamp panels. Are we supposed to call them the blue ribbon Route 53/120 Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee?"

A nice rant, but your LakeCountyEye wanted to know how the so-called Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee was going to fund the Route 53 Extension. They are now talking about raising local contributions.

"Absolutely" laughed Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "and if you believe that I got a bridge to sell you in Lake County. Haha, the Advisory Committee knows quite well that nobody's mayor is going to raise their taxes to pay for a freeway in their backyard."

The Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee did a head fake?

"Well" replied Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "when their own finance committee is saying that environmental protection is their top concern, and when Aaron Lawlor says the environmental stewardship fund is not up for discussion, then dollars to donuts they plan to slash costs at the expense of ..."

The environment? Your LakeCountyEye interjected.

"No flies on you today" chuckled Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi.

(That may be because your LakeCountyEye had earlier walked in front of a Southlake Mosquito Abatement District truck.)

Your LakeCountyEye produced a News-Sun clipping, showing what County Board Chair Aaron Lawlor actually said:

"The environmental stewardship fund is a third rail — if you touch it, the project goes away," he said. "I just want to be clear as we continue this conversation that we all know the things that make this consensus work."
Fate of Route 53 expansion hinges on local contributions, officials say

"He just challenged us to a game of chicken" explained Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "right down the middle of the Route 53 Extension."

That's severe. Was there any parting advice for the ops?

"You know, I don't teach physics" smiled Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "but I don't think it is the project that goes away when you touch the third rail."