Growing Past Me
The City where I work, and next door to the burg in which I live, has some ambitious plans for the next few years. The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, in an article by Chris Vaughn, reported today that if City leaders get their way, things will change dramatically.
“Now comes a more ambitious, even audacious, plan involving the construction of two heavy-rail stations and the rezoning of close to 500 acres in the Iron Horse and Smithfield areas to create a big-city mixture of commercial, residential and small green spaces.”
If you’re into commercial development, building multi-family housing, and like “big-city” sort of things, this will come as a welcome change for you. And I suppose the Church I attend could experience some numerical growth (whatever the value of that may be) as a result. And at best, there are going to be a lot more people with whom we can share the Gospel of life in Jesus Christ.
I don’t want to be a negative voice (though I will be, I am sure) in all this glee, but I have a suggestion. Could we build some streets, highways, roads first? Have you ever tried to drive through this area we call the “Mid-Cities?” Traffic backs up endlessly. I find myself driving the six miles from my house to my office in about twice or three times the time it took a couple of years ago. Houses are being built by the hundreds, people are coming to this area by the thousands, and I am not saying that is a bad thing. What I am saying is let’s build the roadways BEFORE we increase the traffic instead of the way we do it now – which is build the roads after more cars than can be handled arrive -which doubles or triples or the problem (take a drive on Precinct Line Road between 820 and 26 for some real commuting experience, or enjoy the drive through beautiful North Richland Hills on 820 some afternoon between 2 and 8pm).
Actually, I don’t intend to see this new development anyway. I am going to the country. I want to get as far from a highway back-up as possible. I want to leave the rail-lines, and the retail, and the “big-city mixture” in my rear view mirror. I’m gonna’ miss you – sorta.