Comments for SPARC Online

Comment on SPARC: Signs of Progress by Lamar White, Jr

Lamar White, Jr — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:01:51 +0000

Gary, you should be in receipt of an e-mail from the Mayor. Please let me know if, for some reason, you did not receive a response.

Comment on SPARC: Signs of Progress by Gary Childress

Gary Childress — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:20:54 +0000

As a former USPTA Club Tennis Professional I would like to work with SPARC to develop the highest and best use of the Alexandria Tennis Complex. It can certainly work as an anchor to drive more daily traffic to this area of the city. Tennis covers the spectrum age wise with children through senior citizens playing the sport around the state. The complex can be used to bring tennis players from other areas of the state to participate in tennis tournaments.

Comment on Recommended Reading by Ray Stephens

Ray Stephens — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:29:32 +0000

Recommend reading Kitchen Table Sustainability Practical Recipes for Community Engagement with Sustainability. by Wendy Sarkissian. Seems to line up with S.P.A.R.C. objectives to help get communities involved in the process.

Comment on Presentations and Reports by Darrelyn Mason

Darrelyn Mason — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 22:03:18 +0000

I think the mayor is doing a wonderful job with the City of Alexandria. I just recently move back here from Atlanta, Ga and I must say the city have grown a lot. However , let us not be afraid of being a matropolis this city does have the potential to be. I think we should also focus on our entertainment market though.

Comment on What is SPARC? by Gerald King

Gerald King — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:12:09 +0000

The goal of the Louisiana DOTD is to slowly change MacArthur Drive into a limited access “Interstate style” expressway connecting Hwy 165, Hwy 28, and Hwy 1 with I-49 and the expressway system of Pineville.

To achieve this goal of limited access, the DOTD wants to eliminate traffic lights, cross-overs, and two-way service roads.

Wherever the DOTD has achieved parts of their goal,
under-utilization, depression, and failure of business has followed.

North MacArthur Drive lost its vitality because access to businesses was reduced. Crossovers were eliminated and one side of the street has effectively been isolated from the other side.

Parts of the service roads were changed to one-way. This has caused confusion and reduction of access to businesses.

MacArthur Drive was designed and built during WWII to facilitate movement of military convoys while providing local traffic access to commercial facilities built along the way.

To revitalize North MacArthur Drive, we must first reverse the move toward limited access by going back to the original design of two-way service roads, safely designed cross-overs, and traffic-light control of major intersections.

MacArthur Drive connections with Hwy 1 can be easily modified so that service roads can return to bi-directional travel.

A crossover with traffic signals should be built somewhere between England Drive (Hwy 498) and the abandoned Burger King restaurant.

A controlled crossover will increase safety, re-connect one side of MacArthur Drive with the other side, and provide simple connections with two-way service roads.

In the future, the proposed “loop” around the western side of Alexandria will connect Hwy 1, Hwy 28, and Hwy 165 with I-49 and the Pineville Expressway… thereby taking much of the traffic volume away from MacArthur Drive.

To go in the direction of “revitalization”, we must focus on increasing
access to our businesses, while creating an environment of safety, prosperity and beauty.

Simply trying to “look good” won’t get the job done. Putting out a few “pot plants”, planting some trees, or building some sidewalks won’t revitalize the area.

Reinstatement of crossovers and return to bi-directional travel on service roads is the only way to insure success.

Comment on Mayor Jacques Roy Announces Agreement in Downtown Hotels Initiative by Andrea

Andrea — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:20:58 +0000

AWESOME! I get chills just thinking about it!

Comment on Mayor Jacques Roy Announces Agreement in Downtown Hotels Initiative by DAVE HARRIS

DAVE HARRIS — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:24:10 +0000

DYNOMITE!

Comment on Mayor Jacques Roy Announces Agreement in Downtown Hotels Initiative by Lamar White, Jr

Lamar White, Jr — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:36:22 +0000

“I hope the basic plan of the original
Bentley is not destroyed. Front entrance and lobby.”

Rest assured that if that were ever the notion, this project would never qualify for a dime of historic tax credits.

Comment on Mayor Jacques Roy Announces Agreement in Downtown Hotels Initiative by alexcenla

alexcenla — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:30:17 +0000

Very good. I hope the basic plan of the original
Bentley is not destroyed. Front entrance and lobby.

Comment on Mayor Jacques Roy Announces Agreement in Downtown Hotels Initiative by Drew Ward

Drew Ward — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:35:28 +0000

Woo Hoo!