![[Ed says Nay]](http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4958/1794/320/dont_trust.jpg "Ed says Nay")
Dallas Morning News | Rodger Jones:I sympathize with the quest of "DART man". And agree with him that the DART station at the intersection of US 75 and the Bush Tollway is practically unreachable on foot. It is surrounded by still undeveloped land. Give it time. When that land is developed, there will be ways to walk through it without getting your shoes muddy.
But I strongly disagree with him that the Galatyn Park DART station in Richardson is unreachable on foot from Renner Road. In fact, the walk is the most enjoyable and refreshing that this "21st Century man" could ask for. At the corner of US 75 and Renner Road is the start of a nature trail that winds through acres of undeveloped wooded land in the heart of Richardson's Telecom Corridor. That deep cold ravine that thwarted Mr Jones? The trail crosses that by means of a wooden plank pedestrian bridge that offers beautiful views up and down an unspoiled section of Spring Creek. The trail crosses under the DART tracks at one point where the train itself crosses the creek on its own bridge, providing a striking contrast of woods, creek and sleek modern public rail. The trail ends just north of the Galatyn Park train station.
Why does Mr Jones' not even mention the trail's existence, as if it's not even a possibility for consideration? First, a meandering path is too long for him. He wants a straight line walk along the edge of US 75, a umpteen lane freeway with roaring traffic 24x7. But if he's in such a hurry, maybe he ought to drive to the DART station in the first place. His second objection is that the nature trail is not lighted. Mr Jones mentions a mental note to himself to buy a flashlight, so lack of lighting apparently isn't that big a barrier.
Mr Jones does a disservice to DART and the city of Richardson by failing to even mention the great system of trails that is growing in Richardson. He does a disservice to himself by not taking advantage of the trails on his daily walk to and from the DART station. Maybe the relaxing and refreshing effects of a daily nature walk would relieve whatever stress it is that leads him to publish such rants in the first place.
1 comment:
Rodger Jones replied, in his next installment in the Dallas Morning News:
"A hostile person named Ed attacked DART man's motives and honesty, in fact openly suggesting on his own blog that DART man was under 'stress' and was engaging in 'rants.' Stung, DART man pored over the harsh words, laid on so publicly like a lash. Could they be true? Should I just stay quiet and settle for walking around in the woods at night, he asked himself?"
Hostile? I'm stung. ;-)
In his first installment, Mr Jones dismissed a superior amenity without mention. He still does his readers a disservice by only mentioning it in passing, in effect rejecting it even as an option that many might prefer. I think that the City of Richardson should get credit for its prized nature trails rather than criticism because it didn't lay pavement down alongside the multilane freeway US75. (How many cities put sidewalks along freeways?)
It's OK if Mr Jones wants to lobby the City of Richardson to provide BOTH a straight line sidewalk alongside the freeway AND the more interesting, relaxing, and rewarding nature walk. I'm not saying it's my way or the highway (OK, maybe I am, in a literal sense, this time ;-). Just don't dismiss the nature trail. It truly is an option that many pedestrians looking for a route to their own train station would covet. Just not to Mr Jones, I guess.
Besides, I agree with him that the nature trail only gets you to the Galatyn Park station. The Bush Turnpike station awaits development of surrounding land.
Finally, and I even hesitate to raise the issue, for fear of antagonizing Mr Jones further, the City of Richardson is looking at building an extension of the trail under US75, so that hikers and bikers don't have to cross the freeway at Renner Rd. The new trail underpass would be dedicated to the trail, completely separate from automobile traffic. That makes the walk to Galatyn Park from west of US75 even more safe and relaxing. That is, if you don't mind a little meandering.
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