The Road Not Taken

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While walking through our neighborhood, I happened upon a flyer affixed to a pole near Segoe Park that said, "your help is needed," and included a drawing illustrating the proposed closing of the junction of Berwyn Drive and the median on Segoe Road. While much of the ongoing discussion surrounding the proposed West Area Plan centers on housing needs and proactive rezoning, it's worth noting that there are also proposed adjustments to the road configuration in District 11, prompting renewed concern among many local residents.   

Poster calling attention to the closing of Berwyn Drive
Image credit:
Bill Tishler

The section about removing Berwyn Drive can be found on page 23 of the "Public Review -  Draft Area Plan 2/23/24" and from the brief description this proposed road change sounds reasonable. However, having just returned from crossing this intersection I can understand why local residents are concerned.  One couple who lives three houses from Laub Lane told me that: 

"There is very little visibility exiting S. Segoe Rd onto Laub Lane, and there has been very frequent instances of cars blowing through from Laub into Berwyn at high speed unable to stop before entering into Berwyn with cars, bikes, dogwalkers, or children present in the Berwyn roadway and crossing to the park. This is much worse when the road is icy. We, and most of our neighbors, have always felt it was just a matter of time until something tragic would occur. My father brought this up many times to the city, asking that they consider closing the Laub Lane connection to Segoe, but he was ignored. It has been a subject of concern and frustration in our neighborhood."

Perhaps the most prominent aspect of the 2/23/24 Draft West Area Plan, setting it apart from previous area plans, is the complete absence of any photographs within the document to aid readers in understanding the proposed changes. Instead, we are presented with 18 pages of maps. I revisited Berwyn Drive and included several street level images of the intersection of Berwyn Drive and Laub Lane for reference.

Berwyn Drive looking North on Segoe Road
Image credit:
Bill Tishler
Street-level view of Berwyn Drive in the foreground and Laub Lane looking South on Segoe Road (4/6/24)
Berwyn Drive looking East
Image credit:
Bill Tishler
Street-level view of Berwyn Drive and Laub Lane looking East from the edge of Segoe Park  (4/6/24)
Berwyn Drive looking South towards Segoe Park
Image credit:
Bill Tishler
Street-level view of Berwyn Drive looking South on Segoe Road from Laub Lane  (4/6/24)

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
 
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
 
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
 
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Source: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken

 

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Alder Bill Tishler

Alder William Tishler

District 11
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