Big Trucks Are Good
My wife and I were almost killed last night by a big rig barreling down the ramp from the Euclid spur to Route 90 eastbound lanes.
He ran alongside us in our lane so that I had to swerve into the outside lane to avoid him. Luckily, the lane was empty or I'd be writing this from TriPoint Medical Center or Brunner's basement.
My wife was so scared she said a bad word. I said fifty.
This near miss got me thinking about the proposed ferry boat terminal from Lake County to Canada that some Mentor City Council persons are pushing like Ecstasy at a Lady Gaga concert.
In case you haven't heard, Councilman Ray Kirchner says the Ferry terminal will be primarily for trucks … big trucks.
That's reassuring. If there's one thing I'd like to see more of on local roads it's big rigs. You just can't have enough near misses with big rigs, that's what I always say.
When I finish watching The View I might just call Mentor City Hall and see if they've determined how many additional big rigs are anticipated to almost kill people on Route 90 when the Ferry Terminal is finished.
I bet it's gonna be a big number.
William M. Fraser, D.V.M.
7:39 am on Thursday, May 5, 2011
So how is having all those trucks floating across the lake instead of running down Route 90 a bad thing?
W
7:56 am on Thursday, May 5, 2011
The number of big rigs will grow exponentially if the people who live in Lake County - not just Mentor and Grand River - are foolish enough to allow a trucking TERMINAL to be constructed here, that's how. Any HEAVY INDUSTRIAL TRUCKING TERMINALS should be constructed in Cleveland which is the major port for this region and already has the infra-structure to handle it, not sleepy little Grand River.
W
7:39 am on Friday, May 6, 2011
In Grand River
Devone
11:13 pm on Thursday, May 5, 2011
Where are they thinking of putting it?!
Jason Lea
5:51 am on Friday, May 6, 2011
He's referring to the trucking hub that would result if they should ever build a ferry from Lake County to Canada. The project was discussed heavily for awhile, spearheaded by Grand River Mayor Christopher Conley. It even garnered some congressional support. However, it was never a sure thing and the project lost momentum in the last year or so.
Dan Sutterlin
12:49 pm on Thursday, June 9, 2011
I agree with WJ keach whole heartedly. The last thing grand river needs is more tax dollars, tourism, and funding to fix the failing infrastructure. Having truckers avoid the 6 hours of highway travel needed to go AROUND the lake can surely only increase the number of accidents. I mean, less time on the highway always equals MORE accidents, right? There is no chance whatsoever that the truck who was "barreling down an on ramp" (read: merging onto the freeway) could have been heading back to Canada with a long drive ahead of him. It is ridiculous to think that improving efficiency and saving fuel could be a good thing and that perhaps older drivers should pay more attention while driving and leave the interwebs to people with reason. Great blog post "WJ" .
W
2:20 pm on Thursday, June 9, 2011
To repeat - a truck terminal should be located in Cleveland because it's a major port and has infrastructure in place.
And, if you ever visit a port city that actually does real shipping, you'll see it's done via CONTAINERS, not on trucks. Trucking is one of the least efficient ways to move freight, second only to clueless drivers who think that merging onto a freeway means forcing others off the road.
Ask yourself - why are some Mentor council people so fixated on what happens in Grand River? Does Mentor have no issues they should be addressing - like Garfield Park pool still closed.
And thanks for the compliment; I know it was a great blog post.
Why don't you start blogging, I'll bet the Patch is in need of writers with ... skills ... like yours.
Dan Sutterlin
2:36 pm on Thursday, June 9, 2011
Your original blog post said "ferry", so which is it? A container terminal or a truck ferry? Perhaps you should edit your blog post to be more precise.
As for your second point, I think the reason Mentor council people are fixated on neighboring cities is the same reason you would get upset if your neighbors grass was a foot tall. Even if your toilet wasn't working you still wouldn't want the whole neighborhood to look like a dump.
As for your third point, I may start blogging here if the level of commentary comes up a little. Your argument is as inane as someone asking you to become a city council person because mentor is in need of council people with ....skills .... like yours.
Criticism of the efforts of others without offering so much as a SHRED of advice or ideas on fixing the issues is much more enjoyable, you obviously agree with that.
W
2:59 pm on Thursday, June 9, 2011
1- What's been proposed is a ferry terminal for trucks, so that's what I wrote about. I think it's an idiotic idea to build a huge trucking terminal in Grand River, and huge it will have to be to make it economically feasible.
2- Freight is moved in international ports via CONTAINERS. Reaching their destination, the containers are then placed on trucks rather than the trucks being shipped. If moving freight across Lake Erie on boats is a good idea then why are they proposing to also ship trucks.
3- I fail to see how an industrial scale trucking terminal in Grand River will help tourism, it seems to me it would HURT tourism.
4- I live in Mentor, my family came here in 1956. I've seen it change from a pleasant village into an over-built mess with council people who have outdated ideas that are no longer relevant. Those council people need to put all their efforts into Mentor and let Grand River politicians worry about Grand River. Mentor lost population since the last census – why are people leaving.
5- You're obviously a thoughtful person. Start a blog. I'll read it.