A few weeks ago, we had a conversation here about a somewhat involved Eastern Michigan University “beautification” plan that involved, among other things, tearing up a local street and replacing it with lawn. Well, as you might recall, my friend Mark Higbee, a professor at EMU who leaves comments here on occasion, was very much against the idea. Well, I’m happy to report that Mark has decided to put his money where his mouth is and actually do something about it. Mark has formed an organization, which he’s calling the Ypsilanti-EMU Alliance, and he’s trying to stop the project from going forward. Following is his letter to the Regents of EMU:

I write as chair of the Ypsilanti-EMU Alliance, a group of local residents and EMU community members, to urge you to table or reject the proposal to close College Place to create a $1.3 million dollar “pedestrian mall”. Given the sharp cuts in support for academic needs and student services on campus, where so many urgent needs go unmet, this money can be better spent elsewhere.

Sadly, no public forums, no community meetings, no open discussions, on the College Place closing has been held by the Administration. This failure to consult the public at large (as opposed to officials) is a recurring and classic error for poor planners, and it’s an error for which the costs can be tremendous. This failure to allow meaningful public comment on this drastic step of closing an important street is sufficient reason to table this proposal.

In addition to our objections based on its extravagant costs and the closed decision-making process, we also believe that this plan to close College Place is ill advised on the merits. Yes, College Place needs repaving — which the city will do without charge. But College Place is a very effective street: it brings people to campus quickly and connects EMU to several neighborhoods. Because the street, and the last block of Forrest, work and work well, they are the preferred route for many residents and students. Indeed, College Place is the main entry point to campus from town. Yet the Administration is asking you to close this street. Why? To replace it with grass — a pedestrian mall. Yet pedestrian malls, the planners’ fad of the 1970s, are now well known to be incapable of generating desirable activities; at best, they support nearby activities.

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