Inner Suburb against Outer Suburb in Cincinnati-Area Highway Relocation Proposal

The "Eastern Corridor" project along State Route 32 outside of Cincinnati is causing no small amount of controversy between outer and inner suburbs. At stake: open space, commute times, taxes, and lifestyle choices.

2 minute read

September 18, 2014, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Paul Haffner, a resident of Mariemont, just outside of Cincinnati, employs strong words when responding to residents who live farther outside of the city: "Here is a wonderfully simple solution to all of the people whining about traffic on state Route 32 and the need for a relocated state Route 32 'Eastern Corridor' project to move forward. Ready? Move to Hamilton County or quit complaining."

Hamilton County, of course, is where Cincinnati is found, but the farther flung communities Clermont County hope to improve commute times into the city by widening and relocating State Route 32. One possible relocation scheme would move the road into public open space near Haffner's hometown of Mariemont. Writes Haffner of that idea: "I need someone to now please enlighten me on what gives you the right to pave over my limited green space so you can have an easier commute for yourself or your goods to the urban core from which you have chosen to distance yourself?"

And here's one more bomb, for good measure: "If you want to pave over my parkland to serve yourself and your desire for more land with lower taxes, well, I guess I would…give you a fist or a finger."

Haffner's editorial is really a diatribe against the subsidization of sprawl and its negative consequences on the Cincinnati area. Those in solidarity with his viewpoints might want to evaluate the editorial for examples of strongly worded rhetoric.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014 in Cincinnati.com

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