Given a thoughtful plan that blends with the Fly at Audubon Park and residential surroundings, the proposal for The Batture can be pleasant and comfortable or it can be horrendous. As neighbors who know little more than what has appeared in the press, we wish to go on record as favoring the former.
Developers have offered precious little information about the impact on vehicular or train traffic in this busy neighborhood, let alone about plans for construction, height limitations, access in and out of The Batture, availability of parking, rights of way and connections for sewerage, power and water lines. We have repeatedly asked the developers for binding assurances restricting higher-density and higher-rise development in the future; they have refused to do so. Why?
Traffic congestion is already a significant problem in this neighborhood, particularly during rush hour and peak school zone times. We are concerned about access to police, fire and EMS vehicles, especially when trains block The Batture entrance. The developers have indicated that as many as 150 cars per hour will cross the narrow access lane over the levee. What will that mean for the already crowded narrow streets in our neighborhood?
We have asked for objective traffic studies to answer these questions since the developers announced their plans, but, after more than two years of planning, we have yet to see such a study.
We encourage all agencies who will review and issue permits for The Batture project — including the city, the Corps of Engineers, the Public Belt Railroad and the Levee District — to proceed carefully, transparently and with ample opportunity for public input.
BOB LIVINGSTON
board member, River Triangle Association