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Roundabout in 2049

Dear Editor,

Here are two possible scenarios from 30 years in the future regarding the future of the Market Street/Pennsylvania Avenue intersection.

First scenario:

It is the year 2049. You and a friend are standing at the intersection admiring the roundabout that was built in 2019. It has been in use for almost 30 years and has become a focal point of community identity.

“You know,” says your friend, “I recall back in ’19 that you, on the city council, were instrumental in getting this innovative roundabout concept approved and implemented, against a lot of opposition, mainly involving cost, but also from the fact that it was just… different. After all this time, I cannot imagine our town without the Hub of Warren, a monument to safety, a beautiful design, and a well-known landmark throughout all this part of the country. You should be very proud of your part in all of this.”

You thank your friend, and you move on to check out the latest in parking garages, two blocks over. He reminds you to not forget your cane.

Second scenario:

Also in 2049. You and a friend are standing at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Market Street, watching the traffic lights of an intersection that has not changed much in over a hundred years, as they cycle through green, yellow and red. Maintenance costs have eaten up the difference in cost between the rejected roundabout and the adopted signals.

Green… Yellow… Red…

Green… Yellow…

“That’s a helluva traffic light,” says your friend.

“Yup….Yes. It. Is….”

John D. Ferry,

Russell

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