This morning, as I rode the acceleration ramp into the local Spaghetti Junction, I noticed one of those lighted signs. It invited people to comment on proposed plans to upgrade the I-26 corridor west of downtown Asheville. For those born yesterday, the NC DOT has wanted to add capacity to that portion of Interstate for a couple decades, but they have been stopped by people wishing for a greener world. As a result, we have a traditional parking lot any time traffic volume is high or something forces lane closures.

My first impulse was to deem the sign a great way to get motorists to participate in a debate normally dominated by those among us who say they prefer greenways and pervious pedways. Then, I remembered those people are usually so busy going to back-to-back advocacy meetings, they have to take their SUV’s. They, too, would read the signs, but since it is illegal to text and drive, only those greenies in a carpool would be able to take advantage of the stichy-ation.