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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
TxDoT cuts funding for plants along Central Expressway in Dallas
One option is to replace the plants with native grasses, but did anyone stop to think why native grasses weren't used in the first place? Maybe it's because they aren't pretty.
This is one of North Texas' native grasses. Say goodbye to the green sanctuary while sitting in traffic on 75.
The Texas Department of Transportation told city officials Monday that they will no longer maintain the plants on Central Expressway between 635 and downtown. Apparently there was no maintenance agreement previously agreed upon between the city and the state but TxDoT watered the foliage anyway. The City of Dallas does, however, have options. They can pay the $750,000 a year it costs to maintain the plants, they can pay $350,000 a year to replace the plants with native grasses or for no extra charge TxDoT will fill the space in with metal and concrete. Isn't that nice. Option B doesn't sound too bad until you realize that grasses native to Dallas are ugly.
Posted by Laura S.
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Photos: Basement speakeasy called Hi/Lo opens underneath Mason Bar in Uptown Dallas
Hipster Doofus hangout. Spoken by somebody that thinks the Olive Garden has some kick-ass Italian f
Photos: Basement speakeasy called Hi/Lo opens underneath Mason Bar in Uptown Dallas
twslv, Mason Bar does still have dinner, though it's not available downstairs in Hi/Lo unless it's b
Scott Doyle, verified:
Don't worry, I'm sure <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2008/feb/07/dallas-state-senator-proposes-higher-gas-taxes/">Senator Carona</a> will just tack a couple more cents onto his already ridiculous gas tax increase to pay for it. We're good.
Needs more <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/feb/17/bill-legislature-halt-tollway-building/">Representative Garnett Coleman</a> on the case.
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Scott Doyle, verified:
Hmmm, seems Garnet only has the one 't', per <a href="http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist147/coleman.htm">the House's site</a> and <a href="http://www.garnetcoleman.com/Garnet/Home/Home.html">his personal site</a>.
Sincere apologies, Mr. Coleman. I just called it like I saw it in the linked article.
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John McClelland, verified:
Knowing the City Council, they will sneak the plant watering into a bond issue somewhere. It will probably be labeled "road maintenance improvements".
But seriously, it would probably be best to replace the plants with something that doesn't require watering in the first place. I am not too particular about foliage in my roadways.
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:
they first announced this <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/apr/08/greenery-being-removed-central-expressway-dallas/">back in april</a>. i like that the kneejerk city council gets huffy about it every time it's brought up. it's one of those feel-good issues they can raise a stink about, and TxDOT makes an awesome villain
i have nothing but the utmost sympathy for those plants stuck in the middle of the freeway. that's gotta be a crappy life, choking through the carbon monoxide when what they really crave is carbon DIoxide. all so that motorists can feel good about seeing some "greenery" (more like BROWNery, zing) as they haul ass down 75. those plants would be better off in an abandoned lot somewhere
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lakewooder, anonymous:
How much are they going to charge the Park Cities?
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James Scott, verified:
Has anyone else noticed the plants going back up starting around Forest/Royal? Where did the sudden budget windfall come from?
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:
James Scott, your clairvoyance is spine-tingling. Should you be inclined to come back and visit Pegasus in the next day or two, you'll find out more information on that very topic.
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Jason Rice, verified:
He is pretty scary. In person, you'd mistake him for normal, except that he showed up with a pretty amazing date. He's either secretly rich or the alter ego for some comic book hero.
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What do you think?