Mobile's biggest problem
that's easiest to fix is ...
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
Things have been going well for the most part these days in Mobile. However, things can always be better.
Trying to find that cloud in a big blue shiny sky, Mobile Bay Times asked the following question(s) of some of its readers:
What is Mobile's biggest, most easily corrected problem? Or, put another way, what is Mobile's most easily corrected big problem?"
"You are asking me? Boy, could I give some outrageous answer to that, but I won't. I really think that more public involvement is needed in some of the major activities of the city. When Sam Jones first went into office, he had the committees set up with citizens as members to give ideas on what was needed in various areas. I think keeping such task forces/committees in place is necessary to provide what the people in Mobile want. We underestimate our citizens and their value."
-- Glenda Morgan,
city clerk
"It's the 1-10 bridge. They just need to quit politicking, put it in the most
logical place (probably around Texas Street, otherwise nobody would use it) and get it over with. The next biggest easy (this is not original with me) is the leaking roof at Government Plaza -- the answer is a big blue tarp."
-- Nathan Friedlander,
attorney
"My first knee jerk reaction -- not living in Mobile, it is probably not fair for me to answer because I probably cannot -- it does appear to me that Mobile, like most municipalities, does not have a strategic plan. And if it does not, that should be #1 on the agenda.
A quick fix, however, is staring them in the face ... landscape, clean-up and sign control.
Sign pollution is a mess created by the sign company that does not give two hoots in hell about how the city looks as long as their signs are up. The travesty is that signs do not have to be huge or cluttered to be effective, but this is what the sign company sells. Signs should be at eye level when driving, limited in number and size and not distracting. Especially today with more and more GPS systems in automobiles."
-- Starke Irvine,
Baldwin County real estate executive with interests in Mobile
"Micro-management!"
-- John Paul Jones,
retired teacher, prospective school board candidate
"The dropout rate for our teenagers. The solution would be to tie their drivers licences to their remaining in school."
-- Celia Wallace,
Spring Hill Memorial Hospital
"If you get on I-10 at I-65 you notice signage that indicates I-10 to Pensacola, they would be on lanes that don't go through the tunnel. Instead the left lane ends short of the tunnel. People who are not familiar with traffic through the Wallace Tunnel are caused to merge to the right which is causing our unbelievable traffic problem. If you put (signage) five miles before (indicating) 'this lane ends' and five miles ahead mark the next two lanes for I-10 eastbound traffic only, you would have everybody merge before the tunnel.
Second, (it would help) if you had signs beginning at Virginia Street at some point overhead saying 'keep up your speed in the tunnel.' Everybody seems to get in there and freeze. I've seen all along the Eastern seaboard "Keep up your speed through the tunnel." They're old and narrower but traffic moves through them. We have much more graciously allotted lanes in the Wallace Tunnel. It's easy to keep your speed up. People on the downhill seem to put their foot on the brake and don't take it off.
The heavy congestion used to be just on Friday, but now it's every evening. It's a bottleneck and a big part of the reason is the (last minute) merging right of traffic trying to get through the tunnel. The lane should be marked five miles out "This Lane Ends, Merge Right." And you clearly mark these two lanes "I-10 Eastbound Only." It's one of Mobile's biggest problems. Better signage would make a substantial dent in the problem. I've called the highway department to no avail. I even mentioned it to (Mobile City Council President) Reggie Copeland on my way to work one morning and he said I made good and interesting points but it was the state's responsibility, not the city's."
-- Charles McKnight,
district judge
"Sometimes your biggest problem is your biggest opportunity. Our next
level of growth is related to workforce development for our
unprecedented recruitment of world class investments in aerospace and
aviation, steel manufacturing and in the maaritime industries (ship
building and Container Port related).
Entrepreneurship and small business growth cannot be stopped. It is out
of the box. Our real estate is hot. Tourism is hot."
-- Mike Dow,
Mobile mayor (1989-2005)
"No big problem is easily corrected - you may quote me on that. You can ask for one at a time but not both connected."
-- George Crozier,
former Dauphin Island Sea Lab director
"New leadership at the Architectural Review Board!"
-- John Peebles,
real estate executive
"Airline service is still a big problem in Mobile although it may not be easy to resolve.
A problem that is more easy to resolve is rush hour traffic on Airport and Cottage Hill. Traffic police should direct traffic at the major intersections."
-- Lloyd Roebuck,
attorney
"Gill netters."
-- Dwain Mangold,
corporate executive/recreational fisherman
"That is a tough question because in most cases identifying the problem is not hard; rather, it is how to overcome the problem that presents the biggest challenge.
One problem that seems to be apparent in Mobile is the community's lack of understanding of exactly where the leadership of Mobile wants the city to be in 5-10-15 years. Mike Dow's String of Pearls' Campaign was brilliant. It helped people understand what he envisioned for Mobile. Much of the String of Pearls has been accomplished and that is great. Now, a long term plan needs to be published for all of Mobile, not just downtown. I think the Village of Spring Hill is doing a great job on this very issue and is bringing a superb plan to the Spring Hill area. Our leaders in Mobile should welcome it and support it and encourage other areas to do the same. The flight to Baldwin County could rise over the next generation if Mobile doesn't improve its infrastructure and make the City of Mobile something worth staying in or, better yet, moving to.
I also think crime is escalating in Mobile and as we grow, we need to do a better job of preventing it. Governor (Bob) Riley's recent initiative is a start, but more must be done to make crime prevention a priority for Mobile.
Alright, I admit the last one may not be easy to solve, so I'll give you an easy one. Covered parking at the Airport. How the leaders of Mobile could have built an airport in the wettest city in the U.S. and not built a covered parking deck amazes me. But these are probably the same guys who approved probably the ugliest building in Mobile's history so I guess I shouldn't be so shocked. In any event, someone should build a parking deck just like the one built for the cruise ship terminal near Water Street. I think White-Spunner Construction has built two parking decks in the last three years so they should know how to build one.
("We could easily work with the Airport Authority to have a parking deck designed and built at the Mobile Airport," said John White-Spunner. "Some recent parking decks we have done in Mobile include the Alabama Cruise Terminal parking deck and the RSA tower parking deck. Note the RSA parking deck has a spa and pool on the top level.")
Borrow the money to pay for it, charge for parking, and pay for the building over time. Makes a lot more sense than not having one."
-- Russell Buffkin,
attorney
"Mass transit. Light rail to airport."
-- Tim Carmody,
Spring Hill College, educator
"City leaders, Chamber of Commerce, State of Alabama ignoring the
environmental impact of decisions they make which ultimately has a
negative impact on the economy, health, tourism and the future of
Mobile/Baldwin.
Trade off -- jobs for cancer, dirty water and dirty air subsidized with
our tax dollars."
-- Sam St. John,
businessman
"The problems associated with cost and availability of flights at the Mobile Airport."
-- Gavin Bender,
real estate executive
"This is my one 'wave the magic wand' which I believe is doable. Move
airline/passenger operations from our 'lost and out of the way' airport
to Brookley to have modern interstate access.
We are the only city I fly into that has 'too many to count' stoplights between downtown and the airport and no interstate access. Even Green Bay, WS (a city 1/3 our size) has easy interstate type airport access.
Mobile Regional airport would make an excellent suburb-serving general aviation airport along the lines of Peachtree-Dekalb in Atlanta. If we get that Tanker deal I would hope (airport board chairman) Richard
Davis, the Board and Sam Jones put their heads together soon on this. Otherwise in three-five years Baldwin County may start something with the FAA about an airport around Loxley interchange which could obsolete Mobile Regional."
-- Scott Hunter,
investment advisor
"Lack of zoning and rampant, destructive development."
-- Carolyn Haines,
author
"Attitude -- cooperative, can-do spirit needed."
-- Bob Israel,
physician
"Airport Blvd."
-- Charles E. Bailey,
financial executive
"I have thought of more problems. Are they easily corrected? I think they could be, if someone wanted to do it.
Lack of spay and neuter laws and poor enforcement of the laws on the books for abuse and cruelty.
No commitment to serious mass transit.
(Never ask a curmudgeon to talk about what's wrong in a place.)"
-- Haines
"Tough question. Biggest problem -- not easily fixable unfortunately -- the airport location. Not near I-10 or I-65 or rail or water. Isolated out in west Mobile. It will never attract people from Florida or Mississippi as their airports attract LOTS of us from Mobile. That's right, it's a soapbox of mine. But it isn't going to change.
Very big problem -- not sure how easily it's fixable -- the public school system. Particularly a school board that holds clandestine meetings the new superintendent isn't aware of.
Easily fixable -- I don't know. Everything I can think of takes money or time or community support. I guess define 'easy' or give me some multiple choices to pick from.
-- Maryella Sirmon,
nephrologist (aka kidney doc)
"Not enough banana trees."
-- Michael Smith,
federal court clerk, would-be king of Mobile's banana republic
"Move the Airport to Brookley Field."
-- Tom Vollmer,
sales
"That's two questions, with two different answers. But since you phrased it the way you did, I'm limited to answering: taking seriously anything you read in Sound Off."
-- Milton Brown,
real estate/filmmaker
"Airport."
-- Tom Henrich,
financial advisor
"A pinhead judge?"
-- Michael McMaken,
Mobile County district judge
"Wow, interesting question. Difficult to answer without elaborating.
I'm not 'Old Mobile,' having been here only a few years; however, long enough to appreciate the grace and charm of the good people of Mobile County. Sadly, though, the grace and charm of the citizens are overshadowed by the 'Old Mobile' mindset that seems to be stuck in the 1960s.
In a nutshell, here are the positives and the negatives I perceive about Mobile (certainly not an inclusive list):
Positives (in no particular order):
- Grace and charm of the citizenry;
- Food -- at least it is better than that found in Chatom, Evergreen, etc.);
- The late Dr. Sam Eichold;
- Proximity to New Orleans and her wonderful restaurants;
Negatives (in no particular order):
- Government Plaza (ugliest building in the free world -- no, the entire world -- no, the universe);
- Food (over-rated, especially the seafood);
- Transportation infrastructure (let's build the bridge);
- Azalea Maids (give me a break);
- Mardi Gras (second rate at best -- who cares when it started);
- Uncle Henry (perhaps as big a joke as County Commissioner ....)
- (Various elected officials, though oddly enough, none cited were city council or school board members.);
- Local barbecue (there just aren't any good ones);
Okay, 'nuff said. I have work to do.
-- 'Faithful Reader'
relative newcomer
"#1 traffic, bridge over downtown;
#2 drainage."
-- Janet Rich Pittman,
political marketing/communications consultant
"Now that I've thought it over .....
Problem: Violent crime ........ gangbangers, home invaders, bank robbers, car jackers, purse snatchers, etc.
Cheap and easy fix: Shoot to kill."
-- Brown,
gun owner
"While we are improving in many areas, here are biggest problems:
#1 - City's (Traffic) Engineering Department. We live in Oakleigh and my office is on Bienville Square so I rarely have to deal with west Mobile traffic. But it is always an issue. No synchronization of lights; poor planning; City has issues putting proper signage; etc.....
- Old Shell Road needs to be re-paved and widened if possible.
- In Oakleigh, we have been requesting four-way stops signs around Washington Square but can't get them because (we're told) they are not effective.
- Dauphin St. at I-65 is an abortion between 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
- All the one way streets in downtown Mobile only hurt business.
- Moffett Road and I-65 exchange is slow and in-effective. One of the most heavily traveled roads in Mobile and only one lane to get from 98/Moffett onto1-65??? Needs an entrance ramp south directly onto I-65 without holding traffic.
- The fact they actually considered turning Dauphin from two lanes to one with a turn lane?? Geebuzz
#2 - Langan Park. We have a world class museum (by a) lake that looks like a watery Prichard. It's disgusting and I do not allow my child to go there and play. I know the Village of Spring Hill has great plans but it's a shame that the private sector had to come in all address this area.
#3 - Improve all green space parks. We need more bike trails and
improvements to all parks. Go to Birmingham and view their City Square in Downtown. Fabulous. Why can't we do the same with all the events we have at Bienville Square?
#4 - Litter and enforcement. I've participated in all the City trash
meetings. The fines are helping but enforce (the laws on) dilapidated buildings and folks who don't police their businesses or yards.
Things that are great: BID'S (Business Improvement Districts); annexation; Village at Spring Hill development; median development on Springhill Ave. (i.e. new azalea trial); downtown events like chili cook-off and St Patrick's Day parade."
-- Anonymous,
attorney
