Missouri is proceeding with a study of upgrading its Highway 36 into Interstate 72 in conjunction with the widening of Interstate 70, which runs through Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.
The study is going to cost Missouri taxpayers $2.5M. Upgrading the highways is going to cost them even more. What if there was a way to pay for these road improvements that didn't involve taxpayer funding?
Such an opportunity has existed for over a decade now, but Missouri lawmakers refuse to consider what's right in front of them. What if Grain Belt Express was required to site its project buried on the edges of the new road right-of-way, instead of building it overhead on new rights-of-way across private property? Instead of paying landowners millions of dollars in compensation payments for ruining their land, what if GBE simply paid the state those millions to use its road right-of-way? The road improvements could get done faster and cheaper, and GBE would not have to struggle to acquire land from citizens against their will. GBE would only have to negotiate with one landowner, the highway administration.
It's pure genius... a fitting use for Highway 36, which has been dubbed, "The Way of American Genius." It practically writes its own press release. You're welcome.
But, but, but, you say, there's a million reasons why GBE cannot exist with highways. But, really there isn't. All those old excuses have been dispelled by up-to-date research, science, and implementation.
READ the information provided on The Ray's website. This non-profit organization has a mission to build "a movement to build net-zero highways." It makes ever so much more sense to combine new highways with new transmission with new technology to create a useful system that not only doesn't cause new burdens on private landowners, but delivers so many benefits that we will find useful in the future.
The article about Highway 36 says,
The study is going to cost Missouri taxpayers $2.5M. Upgrading the highways is going to cost them even more. What if there was a way to pay for these road improvements that didn't involve taxpayer funding?
Such an opportunity has existed for over a decade now, but Missouri lawmakers refuse to consider what's right in front of them. What if Grain Belt Express was required to site its project buried on the edges of the new road right-of-way, instead of building it overhead on new rights-of-way across private property? Instead of paying landowners millions of dollars in compensation payments for ruining their land, what if GBE simply paid the state those millions to use its road right-of-way? The road improvements could get done faster and cheaper, and GBE would not have to struggle to acquire land from citizens against their will. GBE would only have to negotiate with one landowner, the highway administration.
It's pure genius... a fitting use for Highway 36, which has been dubbed, "The Way of American Genius." It practically writes its own press release. You're welcome.
But, but, but, you say, there's a million reasons why GBE cannot exist with highways. But, really there isn't. All those old excuses have been dispelled by up-to-date research, science, and implementation.
READ the information provided on The Ray's website. This non-profit organization has a mission to build "a movement to build net-zero highways." It makes ever so much more sense to combine new highways with new transmission with new technology to create a useful system that not only doesn't cause new burdens on private landowners, but delivers so many benefits that we will find useful in the future.
The article about Highway 36 says,
Riggs said he hopes MoDOT’s study looks at ways to make the future interstate “agriculturally friendly” to farmers can co-exist with freight traffic. In addition, he wants the upgrades to include electric vehicle charging stations.
What if those charging stations could be built along the highway using the DC power carried by GBE? I know, brain explosion, right? Maybe you want to let Rep. Louis Riggs, a Hannibal Republican, know about The Ray's work so he can use that information to make sure the new Highway 36 builds for the future, instead of the past. You can contact him here.
There's nothing stopping Grain Belt Express from changing its plan to route its project buried along a new Highway 36, except that they don't want to. GBE has poured tons of money into its last century plan to build a DC transmission line overhead across over 200 miles of private property in Missouri in parallel to the existing Highway 36, even though better ideas were right there all along! Any extra cost for the company is entirely GBE's fault because it chose to pursue an outdated project model when new research and discoveries pointed to better solutions.
We need to tell everyone about the possibilities of modern highways and modern transmission working together to propel us into a bright future!
There's nothing stopping Grain Belt Express from changing its plan to route its project buried along a new Highway 36, except that they don't want to. GBE has poured tons of money into its last century plan to build a DC transmission line overhead across over 200 miles of private property in Missouri in parallel to the existing Highway 36, even though better ideas were right there all along! Any extra cost for the company is entirely GBE's fault because it chose to pursue an outdated project model when new research and discoveries pointed to better solutions.
We need to tell everyone about the possibilities of modern highways and modern transmission working together to propel us into a bright future!
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