KICK-66

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Have a look at the image above of the stranglehold that I-66 could have on Kentucky. When this snake-in-segments was popular during the American Revolution, the message was "JOIN OR DIE!" Today the message is.."JOIN AND DIE!" The above diagram shows the illegal segmenting of I-66 in Kentucky. By slicing up this "Megaproject" into individual segments also known as "salami tactics" officials do not have to address the overall total cost and impact of the entire road, only individual portions of it at any given time. THIS IS ILLEGAL WHEN DEALING WITH FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS! And NOW  they're saying "its just independent segments!"

I-66 is a waste of funds, farms, forests, families, flora, fauna, fish and our future. It will destroy wildlife habitat, species, karst drainage areas, water & air qualilty. They want to build a 6 lane highway through one of the last best forested areas of the state. They want to bulldoze a path close to Mammoth Cave National Park and through the Daniel Boone National Forest and over the Wild and Scenic Rockcastle River. It will traverse karst drainage areas with a high risk for sinkholes and water contamination. This is not just a local issue but a national one, as these public lands belong to all Americans and our future generations. We are stewards of these lands. Our Public Lands should be held in trust for all people, not sold off to the highest bidder. Public officials cannot prove a need for I-66. The total cost of this project is unknown, but projected to be around $10 billion, and that's just Kentucky. What is the need for this road?  It will run parallel between I-64 in northern Kentucky and I-40 in northern Tennessee. Both roads could be accessed from central Kentucky in less than a two hour drive. There is not much traffic on these existing interstates. The upgrading of State route 80 and the Hal Rogers (formerly Daniel Boone-doesn't it make you sick?) Parkway has never been seriously considered. That might be way too cost effective. What would the cost difference be, in terms of cash as well as in terms of our land be to use existing roads as opposed to bulldozing through our National Forest & Lands?  The price of gas is skyrocketing, who will drive on I-66? They want to pave paradise to put up a parking lot! I-66 was an idea born in the 80's. It was supposed to be a east-west interstate from Washington D.C. to Fresno, California. But a feasibility study found no need for the road. It should have been buried then. But thanks to Hal Rogers, who has been named "The Prince of Pork" by the Lexington Herald-Leader, I-66 was resurrected. Hal Rogers, who has brought billions of your tax dollars to the state of Kentucky to do great works and provide jobs for his supporters wants to spend billions of dollars for a road we don't need.  Meanwhile in the state of Kentucky, secondary roads are dangerous killers. I-66 will not make existing roads safer. These billions would be better spent upgrading these murderous roads that residents have to drive on. Most secondary roads have no shoulders and no lines. People cannot walk (or bike) along these roads safely. Accidents happen on a daily basis and people are killed. Wht should we let "fat cat" politicians, land speculators, consultants & construction companies who only want to make money off road building projects destroy our farms, families, forests & future? If we don't act & act soon, additional education, social services, prison, roads & other government cuts WILL be made & taxes WILL increase. Farms will be destroyed & families will be uprooted from their homes, many having lived there for several generations. Further forest fragmentation will occur and irreplaceable woodlands will be gone forever.............. Please take a stand against I-66. Phone, send letters, faxes, emails to ALL the newspapers, politicians & transportation officials telling them we DO NOT WANT to spend OUR money to build this needless wasteful road project. Encourage others to take action! Join our grass-roots effort to fight this needless wasteful road project. Urge officials in the transportation & highway departments to allocate funds to repair/improve existing roads rather than building new ones that harm, not enhance our surroundings. We need you to join us! Please click on the link JOIN US to sign the petition and/or donate. No money is needed to join, just sign our petition! We need your "presence" more than your presents! Send us your comments for our opinions page. Email, call or write your editors & local, state and national officials speaking out against I-66. We can't do it without YOU!!

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People of the US, & the states of Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri & West Virginia, it is time to take action to stop the destruction of our natural environment & waste of funds through poorly planned road building projects! Join US! Post your opinions here, send letters to your local, state & national leaders & newspapers voicing your displeasure at the enormous wasteful expense of this atrocity against hard working taxpayers & the environment. Projections are estimated to cost $BILLIONS! This money is being shifted from funds available for repairing existing roads, educating our children, aiding our elderly & disabled & is allowing convicted felons to be set free! This is not just a local or state issue but a national one as America's taxpayers will be footing this bill for this "Road to Nowhere." I-66 will bulldoze a broad path through the central US  if  it  is not stopped. In KY from Paducah to Pikeville, plowing through the Daniel Boone National Forest & Mammoth Cave Nat'l Park which will impact many endangered species & the natural scenic beauty of KY. In IL through the Shawnee National Forest. With 2 major East-West interstates to the north & south of I-66, another east-west interstate is not needed. WE NEED YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN KICK 66-PLEASE HELP!

I-66 IS A WASTE OF OUR FORESTS, FARMS, FUTURE AND FUNDS FORESTS "It is a waste to destroy the wildlife, recreation and natural beauty of our National Forest." I-66 will cut a 400 acre swath through the Daniel Boone National Forest & close to Mammoth Cave National Park destroying creeks, caves, endangered species' habitat as well as hiking, hunting and fishing areas. FARMS "It is a waste to destroy farms and rural communities to build a new highway alongside an existing underused highway." Unneeded highways lead to sprawl. Why spend billions of dollars to destroy green space when cities like Lexington are spending millions of dollars to protect green space? FUTURE "It is a waste of Kentucky's people to commit them to minimum wage highway service jobs." Studies of rural communities in Appalachia show that new highways create only minimum wage jobs and ruin downtowns and local businesses. FUNDS "It is a waste to spend a billion dollars to build a new road when we need to fix existing roads just so our children can get to school." "Kentucky will need to raise at least $200 million in matching funds to build I-66. Which taxes are they going to raise next?" Who really wants this road? Who is going to profit? It is not going to be you! I-66: WHAT A WASTE! KICK 66 is a coalition of over 30 organizations and businesses & 1,400+ citizens who oppose I-66 because it is a waste of Kentucky's forests, farms, future and funds. Your help is urgently needed. Please do whatever you can to help.

Q. What is Bad Road Building Strategy?

The Bad Road building strategy is this: 1. You build the first increment of the road wherever you have the political power to do so -- well placed office holders, corrupt governors, entrenched mining companies, lack of local opposition. Your justification: jobs and terrorism. 2. You then build the next segment of road through the most expensive terrain, such as mountains and karst. 3. Next you build the road section through national forests or national parks. 4. Now you sell the idea that "If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing right." This is the argument for staying the course, finishing the job, never losing faith, and recovering sunk cost. After all, the last increments only destroy idle farm land, so it would be a shame not to complete what others have sacrificed so dearly to achieve. The incremental strategy is as old as mankind, starting with Genesis and seen most recently in Iraq. "We cannot let down the 500 brave patriots who have given so much for freedom -- we must bring democracy (or roads) to those who have suffered so much." It has been called "Divide and conquer," "Camel's nose under the tent," "Great oaks from little acorns grow," and a host of other slogans. On the other hand, resistance to tyranny has always started small. Our efforts to stop bad roads need to include the public reminder that diseases like cancer start small, and that bad roads are a cancer on our lives and land. Roger Brucker

Apathy will ensure this road gets built.

"Remember, a paved-over and heavily polluted state that over-burdens taxpayers to fund pork projects is neither sought out or desirable as a place to live or visit."

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