8664. What should be the next step?

Before I get into the meat of my post I just want to say that C.A.R.R. hasn't taken an official position of 8664. This is all my opinion. Now, that we have gotten that out of the way, what should be 8664's next move? They may have already done some of the things I'm about to suggest. But just in case they haven't I hope they like my ideas.

8664 has gained a lot of traction among the general population. Every poll I have seen about 8664 has been pretty positive. However, they haven't swayed many of the power-brokers in town. Most of the metro council members, the mayor, and top business CEO's favor the downtown bridge. That needs to change.

It was a good move to spend money on creating images and videos to show people what Louisville would look like without I-64 as it passes through downtown, but that's not enough. More needs to be done. 8664 needs to show how their idea will benefit people in the South-End and the East End. Currently many residents think that we have spent to much time and resources in downtown Louisville. I get the feeling that most East-Enders don't really care either way. Many of them don't come downtown and if they did I would imagine what they really want is re-designed Spaghetti-Junction.

I think the folks at 8664 need to reach out to the people in the south end and fiscals conservatives in the East-End. It's going to have to move beyond it's base in the Highlands if it's going succeed. I think they will find a very receptive audience if they focus on the fact that 8664 will save money, free up funds for transportation improvements for the South-end, and improve congestion downtown. I think they should set up a meeting with South-End leaders Chris Thieneman, and Dan Seum. I think they can find some common ground.

I think the same fiscal argument will work in the East-end, and as well as a message that includes how 8664 can improve their commute to and from downtown. They will need a facts based argument, and pound home how this will save everybody money.

I would take a page out of the republican handbook. The republicans (on a national level) may not be good at coming up with alternative ideas, but they sure are good at killing one. Just look at the healthcare debate. I'm pretty sure 8664 wants to take the "high ground" but they can still use a couple of plays from the republican playbook. One is to scare people with the prospect of paying up to a $3 toll to cross the bridge. Once you find out how much would that cost the average citizen every year I would call it a bridge tax. When the mayor elections come around you can say things like " So and so wants to tax you $1000 a year just to go to Indiana."

Maybe you can have people protest outside of city hall or the Mayor's community conversations. Either way you are going to have to put pressure on the establishment. Pressure they can't ignore. This means that 8664 will have to reach out to people they may not have other wise.

They can do it, and I think they can be successful. We need them to be successful.