Will La Entrada Kill Marfa?
I hate to pose the question in such a blunt way, but this is the sentiment at the heart of the controversial La Entrada Al Pacifico project. Obviously, if you live in the Big Bend area you've known for a long time about this proposed trade corridor linking Texas with the Pacific Ocean. However, I suspect that many "friends of Marfa" are still unaware of this important issue. Our readership at Marfa.Org is going through the roof right now as people "tune up" for the upcoming OH Weekend. So I'll take this opportunity to spread some knowledge and point to some helpful resources where we can get involved and fight this thing.
Actually, at this point, there's probably no way to stop La Entrada alltogether - the goal now is to control where this major highway is routed. As it stands the route is planned to cut through Marfa and Alpine and bring with it potentially 2500 semi-trucks per day. Obviously the traffic, noise and pollution would drastically change this peaceful and serene part of the world. But, being an architect, I can't help but think of all the negative side effects to the built environment like chain motels, fast food joints, mega truck-stops.
Organizations like StopThe Trucks.org and the Big Bend Regional Sierra Club are mobilizing to have our voices heard by the decision makers. Ideas at work include creating a relief route that will bypass Marfa, and the possibility of switching the planned corridor from auto to rail.
Links: Interactive Map [google maps], Letter Writing Campaign, StopTheTrucks.org, La Entrada [at wikipedia], Trucks Threaten BB Heritage [Sierra Club].
posted by Mark permanent link
6 Comments:
No, I don't think La Entrada will kill Marfa. Yes, there has been much debate over this issue, and it is indeed a very important issue that could have a significant impact on the Big Bend region. However, the infrastructure on the Mexican side is so poor that it will take billions of dollars and plenty of time to get the port in Topolobampo up and ready as well as the roads from the Pacific to Ojinaga. The Mexican government is in no condition to pay for this project up front. This will take lots of time, perhaps 25 years before we see any significant development on the Mexican side of the border. We've begun to see more truck traffic at the Presidio port of entry, but I highly doubt that that's due to La Entrada al Pacifico. I'd chalk this up to globalization, which has more of an impact on the Big Bend than most people would like to believe. I'm not saying that we should ignore this issue, I'm saying we need to focus on more pressing issues at the moment, like the middle-class housing shortage that communities from Pecos to Sierra Blanca face. Or what about making education the top priority in West Texas schools, not athletics. The Department of Homeland Security is getting ready to put up a wall at the Presidio port of entry to fight illegal immigration and terrorism, if we want to protect the beauty and integrity of the Big Bend shouldn't we be fighting that as fierce as we've been fighting La Entrada?
Alberto, thanks for the info - sounds like you have a good understanding of the project. Even if it does take 25 years before La Entrada is up and running, I think the point is that now is the time to affect change. Now is the time to make sure the route works for Marfa and the Big Bend in general. And, this is going to sound funny to some, but 25 years is not that long. I look at my 5 year old son and say where'd you come from?
I certainly agree that there are other pressing issues in Marfa (to me, the housing shortage is huge), but it's never too early to let MOTRAN and the rest know that we are going to involved in the La Entrada project.
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to bad they didn't go after the artists like they're going after the truckers. marfa needs a truck stop more than another gallery.
Hey Diana,
Marfa is a quiet and unique town. There are plenty of West Texas towns to chose from with big rigs running through them. You may like Van Horn...
I think that many people are taking this whole issue too lightly. Yes, there many issues that we need to step into, but right now I truly believe it is time to knock this one out. I do think it would kill Marfa and what we all love about it, peace, quite and refuge.
This superhighway would affect us all, gallery owner or gas station attendant, It would be horrific for the families that have invested their lives in this place and who can't just up and leave.
The most important thing is saving this region not Just just Marfa but Alpine, Presidio and all the majestic land between it and of course Big Bend which is such an amazing area and far undervisited as it is.
I agree with Mark, 25 years is not to far off. If you care about your town and it's people, and the air we breath and live in then we need to make a stand. I think this is something that could the thing that bring our community together. I'd be so happy if they went with the trains.
The wall in Presidio is a bad joke. I think we should fight that just as strongly, or we'll blink our eyes and suddenly be living in Laredo or Del Rio.
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